Stories at Sundown
✏️ JADE SNOW
📸 MICHELLE MISHINA
A lineage of hula dancers returns home to the stage that launched its journey as Hawaiʻi’s longest-running entertainment company.
サンセットの物語
半世紀前にワイキキでポリネシアンショーの基盤を築いた舞踏団が、その誕生の地、インターナショナルマーケットプレイスに帰還。毎日夕方に開催される無料のショーをお見逃しなく。
Six dancers took the stage in 1969 for a private performance for legendary singer Don Ho. He was scheduled for a three-month tour on the continent and was looking to fill the vacancy of his residency at Duke Kahanamoku’s Polynesian Restaurant and Supper Club at the International Market Place. It was the height of Waikīkī’s golden era, and his restaurant was at the heart of it. Impressed by the show’s original choreography and diverse cultural storyline, “Uncle Don’s” seal of approval offered Jack and Cha Thompson the opportunity of a lifetime to fill in for the iconic performer while he was away on tour. Though they did not realize it at the time, this fortuitous moment became their first unofficial contract and launched Tihati Productions, catapulting the duo and a small cast of family and friends into the local entertainment industry.
In the age of hapa haole Hawaiian glamour, the Thompsons utilized their backgrounds in hula and fire-knife dancing to create a comprehensive Polynesian showcase featuring various styles of dance. Kalihi-born Cha had grown up in a hula hālau, honing her skills as under the direction of kumu hula Rose Joshua of Magic Hula Studio. Jack “Tihati” Thompson was born on Swains Island, a tiny atoll 240 miles north of American Samoa. His family relocated to O’ahu where his grandfather was stationed in the military. The two met as teenagers, falling in love and marrying after graduating from Farrington High School. Cha was a seasoned performer in a local hula production, where Tihati waited to pick her up. Rather than wait each night, she urged him to audition as a dancer to fill his time. He made the cut and was soon joined the cast, introducing him to the world of entertainment where he honed his performance skills. But their role as dancers soon changed after their fateful performance for Ho, stepping in create an exclusive show to fill his 3 month vacancy. Before long they secured contracts with neighboring establishments Beachcomber and Moana Surfrider Hotel, and established Tihati Productions in 1969.
As a child, son and current Tihati president Afatia Thompson was immersed in the world of entertainment. He and his siblings grew up performing in shows before transitioning into leadership roles within the family business. His sister Misty Tupolo, who is the company’s vice president, and his wife, Nicole, work together on all aspects of production, from song- and script-writing to choreography and costume design. Afatia credits his parents with the birth of the lūʻau format we recognize today. “Dad had the Polynesian side and mom brought in her hula side, so it was truly a blending of cultures,” Afatia says. “But they didn’t realize they were creating the blueprint of a new style of entertainment.” The award-winning formula afforded Tihati Productions immense opportunities, from countless television and motion picture appearances to private shows for the likes of Oprah Winfrey, President and Mrs. Hillary Clinton as well as the honor of being the first Polynesian show to perform at the White House in 2008. Cha was inducted into the Hawaiʻi Business Hall of Fame in 1982 and recently won the 2019 aio Media Hawaiʻi Lodging and Tourism Award for Leadership in the Industry, honoring her immense contributions to the tourism industry.
From a modest show comprised of six family members to an expansive company of nearly 1,000 employees and 14 shows currently in production throughout the state, Tihati has evolved over its 50 years in business and finessed its formula for high-quality lūʻau production. Afatia acknowledges the company’s success as a balance between its commitment to entertainment value and a responsibility to educate its audience. “We hope to provide an authentic cultural experience by sharing the moʻolelo (stories) of our islands with integrity and professionalism,” Afatia says. “In doing so, we hope that guests take away a little more ʻike (knowledge) about Hawaiʻi and Polynesia and come back and visit us again.”
While Tihati’s success expanded beyond its Waikīkī origins, it made a nostalgic return home to the place that launched their distinguished career in 2016. When the International Marketplace reopened after renovations in 2016 and transformed into a luxury retail center, Tihati created the exclusive “O Nā Lani Sunset Stories,” to captivate passersby with sunset performances at Queen’s Court. The free daily show illustrates the evolution of the International Market Place and of Waikīkī’s storied history. Professional hula dancer Caleb Borge has been performing with the company for more than seven years and has performed at the International Marketplace since it’s relaunch. “While other lūʻau shows might tell a broad story of Hawaiʻi, this show is tailored to fit the narrative of Waikīkī’s significance within its historical context,” he says. Borge continues, “It not only focuses on storytelling, but also educates the audience about our aliʻi (monarchs), this ahupuaʻa (land division), and the figures of influence that have shaped modern Waikīkī.”
