Blossom Puanani Alama-Tom

Blossom Puanani Alama-Tom (born July 31, 1930) is a Living Treasure of Hawaiʻi and the last surviving judge of the first Merrie Monarch Festival. Alama-Tom is also an entertainer, a kumu hula, a hula judge, and a musician. Since 1940, Alama-Tom has performed at the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation’s Nā Hula Festival.[1]

Blossom Puanani Alama-Tom

Early life

Alama-Tom was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu. She was raised by her mother, Agnus K. Wright and her father, Joseph K. Alama on Liliha Street. Alama-Tom is the youngest of 4 siblings. Her sister, Leilani Alama, was also interested in hula and would go on to become a known kumu hula in her own right.[2]

Alama-Tom is an alumnus of President William McKinley High School. This was the extent of her formal Western education. Alama-Tom always knew that she would become a kumu hula and decided not to attend college.

Career

Alama-Tom began teaching at an early age and by the age of 15 she was instructing vocalists such as Bill Aliʻiloa Lincoln and Genoa Keawe.[3] In 1954 she opened her own studio, Alama Hula Studio, where she still currently teaches.[1] Three years later, in 1957, Alama-Tom was featured on the cover of Honolulu Magazine, then called Paradise of the Pacific. This was not her first time being featured on a magazine cover, as a photograph of her was also on the April 1948 issue of Holiday magazine.[4] She was also featured on the 1950s compilation album Lovely Hula Hands.[2]

Alama-Tom was asked to perform as one of the judges for the first Merrie Monarch Hula Festival in 1963 and is one of the last surviving judges.[5][4]

Resources
  1. Deniz, Lacy. "She's the world's longest-serving kumu hula ... and has never stopped learning". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  2. jtagomori (2015-07-02). "Alama sisters honored with 'Lifetime of Love'Honolulu Pulse". Honolulu Pulse. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  3. Hula, 'Ae Luv (2018-10-08). "Kumu hula Puanani Alama keeping the legacy alive". 'Ae Luv Hula. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  4. "Inside HONOLULU: One of Hula's Living Legacies Graced Our Cover Twice, 60 Years Apart". Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  5. "A legacy of dance: Puanani Jung's hula roots run deep". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. 2014-04-21. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
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