“Pupu O’Ewa” or “Pearly Shells” is a song written by Arthur Lyman over 100 years ago, and it was one  the songs we danced the hula to back in the Girl Scout days in the Philippines. Ahh, if I recall those performances at the tournaments were indeed the highlights of my childhood. We made all of our costumes, grass skirts from palm leaves, Sampaguita and orchid leis, and linen blouses dyed in yellows and reds. The hula is a beautiful language of dance, every gesture is full of meaning and interpretation. That was my Lilo moment, age 8, missing my parents who were at the other side of the world. Needless to say, “Pearly Shells” will always be a song to dance the hula and cherish.

This latest collection is my homage to my dance, the Pupu O’Ewa has Mother of Pearl and Abalone shell discs, and lustrous cultured and freshwater pearls merge with gemstones, gold filled wire and various colors of leather cord. This is a line that I continually develop throughout time with passion. You can take the girl away from the ocean, but you can’t take the ocean away from the girl…