Midwest Aloha Festival

Some festivals begin as an idea. Ours began as a promise.

Decades ago, the Chow family carried the spirit of aloha from Hawaiʻi to Wisconsin—bringing a love of Polynesian music, dance, and culture, and a deep commitment to sharing it with their new Midwest home. Before they left Hawaiʻi, Malia's grandmother asked her mother, Sandra, to make one promise: never let their culture be forgotten. She vowed to carry it forward and that promise became the foundation of everything that followed. Malia Chow was raised in that legacy. Her father, Ronald Chow, a Native Hawaiian musician, helped introduce Polynesian music and culture to Wisconsin, while her mother nurtured a bridge between two homes and two worlds. Alongside Malia every step of the way was her twin sister, Maile—her dance partner, lifelong companion, and an irreplaceable part of this journey. Together, they learned, performed, and shared the traditions that shaped their lives.

As that promise grew beyond their family, it first found a home through Hale O Malo, where students, dancers, and families gathered to learn Polynesian dance and culture. Among the earliest students were Angel Cuevas, Koryn Schulz, and Xiara Palos, who began dancing with Malia and Maile at a young age and helped build the foundation of the community that continues to thrive today. Although Ronald and Maile have since passed, their love, teachings, and spirit remain woven into everything they helped create. Their legacy lives on in every performance, every student, every song, and every act of aloha shared with the next generation.

In 2018, that legacy grew into Nā Hale Studios, incorporated as Nā Hale Cultural Arts Center, Inc., a Wisconsin 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Nā Hale, meaning "many houses," reflects Malia's vision of creating a place where culture, music, and the arts bring people together. Rooted in Indigenous wisdom and guided by the spirit of aloha, it is a home built on love, respect, gratitude, and belonging. Today, Nā Hale is a thriving ʻohana of Culture Keepers, students, teachers, volunteers, performers, families, and community partners—all helping preserve and share Polynesian culture with care, humility, and heart.

The Midwest Aloha Festival is the next chapter of that promise. It honors those who first carried these traditions to Wisconsin, celebrates the growing ʻohana who continue to share the music, dance, stories, and spirit of aloha throughout the Midwest, and invites every visitor to become part of the story by helping carry aloha forward for generations to come.