A Garment, a Gathering, a Community
Each January in Hawaiʻi, Muʻumuʻu Month invites communities across the islands to celebrate one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved garments. Colorful, comfortable, and deeply personal, the muʻumuʻu has long been woven into everyday Hawaiʻi life, marking both ordinary days and meaningful milestones. From school May Days and family gatherings to weddings and celebrations, the muʻumuʻu reflects Hawaiʻi’s cultural heritage and the stories carried through generations.
The movement began on Kauaʻi in 2015, when local artist and designer Shannon Hiramoto challenged herself to wear a different muʻumuʻu each day throughout January. What began as a personal creative practice quickly grew into a statewide tradition. By sharing her daily muʻumuʻu and encouraging others to participate, Muʻumuʻu Month became a way to revive appreciation for this iconic Hawaiian dress and honor the generations of aunties and tūtū who wore it before. Today, Muʻumuʻu Month is celebrated across Hawaiʻi as a joyful expression of culture, creativity, and community.
At Kukuiʻula, Muʻumuʻu Month has become one of our favorite times of year. It is a celebration not only of what we wear, but of how we gather, connect, and carry tradition forward.
More Than a Dress: The Meaning of the Muʻumuʻu
“My mom had a large collection of beautiful mu‘umu‘us. Some were so dressy and she would wear those only to special occasions. Today, when I wear a mu‘umu‘u, I think of my mom”— Tiffany.
The muʻumuʻu is more than a garment. It is a keeper of memory, tradition, and identity. Passed down through families, gifted for special occasions, or rediscovered years later, muʻumuʻu quietly hold personal and cultural history.
For Tiffany, Director of Events + Food & Beverage at The Club at Kukuiʻula, those stories are woven through childhood, family, and milestones both big and small.
“When I was a little girl, I had no idea how valuable a muʻumuʻu would become to me. I still remember my mom forcing me to wear one to my sixth-grade banquet. I was so mad. It was red and yellow, my school colors, and all I wanted was to look like the other girls in their cute dresses. Now, I wish I still had that muʻumuʻu. I wish I had taken more pictures that day.”
Her memories stretch across generations.
“May Day meant wear muʻumuʻu and the most fragrant lei. I have a picture of my best friend and me in kindergarten in our muʻumuʻu with no teeth. My parents were married in matching purple Mamo muʻumuʻu. Every Christmas and birthday, we bought my grandma a muʻumuʻu from Liberty House. I still have some of those pieces today. To her, wearing a muʻumuʻu was dressing up.”
As Tiffany reflects,
“Muʻumuʻu are treasures from the past. They carry memories, embrace culture, and quietly hold generations of stories.”
That sentiment is echoed by Gloria, The Club’s Administrative Assistant, whose memories of muʻumuʻu are closely tied to family and Hawaiʻi’s school traditions.
“Muʻumuʻu Month brings back memories that warm my heart. Growing up, every May Day in Hawaiʻi was celebrated at school. Everyone performed a dance in front of family, and the spotlight was that we got to wear our prettiest muʻumuʻu embellished with lei. Oh, how special we all felt. My mom had a large collection of beautiful muʻumuʻus. Some were so dressy and she would wear those only to special occasions.Today, when I wear a muʻumuʻu, I think of my mom.”
Together, these stories highlight why the muʻumuʻu remains such a powerful symbol of Hawaiʻi culture, connecting past and present through fabric, memory, and shared experience.
Honoring Muʻumuʻu Month at Kukuiʻula
Throughout January, Muʻumuʻu Month comes to life at The Club at Kukuiʻula through gatherings that celebrate island style and community.
Our first-Tuesday Burgers, Brats, Beer, Bourbon + Muʻumuʻu welcomed Members and Guests poolside at Makai Grill + Bar, where muʻumuʻu and aloha shirts filled the space as the sun set and the evening unfolded under starry skies. Men joined in by wearing their favorite aloha shirts, creating a colorful and inclusive expression of island fashion.
Later in the month, the Member Mixer Talk Story + Hula offered a deeper connection to the origins of Muʻumuʻu Month. Members and Guests gathered to listen as Shannon Hiramoto shared the Kauaʻi roots of the movement and her inspiration for celebrating the muʻumuʻu. In honor of these beloved garments, attendees were also able to purchase muʻumuʻu and enjoy hula, experiencing tradition through storytelling and craftsmanship.
Behind the scenes, the celebration extended to our team. Throughout the month, staff were encouraged to wear muʻumuʻu and aloha shirts on Aloha Fridays, weaving tradition into everyday moments of hospitality. For employees, a Muʻumuʻu Market added another layer of connection, allowing team members to shop, swap, and rediscover gently worn muʻumuʻu together.
As Brian, The Club’s General Manager shared,
“We have a Muʻumuʻu Market for our employees. It includes traditional patterns for both men and women. It’s so fun to watch our team shop and swap, pick up some new patterns, and don them throughout the month of January.”
These moments reflect how the muʻumuʻu continues to bring people together in ways that feel joyful and uniquely Hawaiʻi.
The mu‘umu‘u is more than a garment. It is a keeper of memory, tradition, and identity. Passed down through families, gifted for special occasions, or rediscovered years later, mu‘umu‘u quietly hold personal and cultural history.
A Tradition Carried Forward
At Kukuiʻula, honoring Hawaiian culture and local heritage is woven into how we live and gather. Muʻumuʻu Month reflects our ongoing commitment to honoring Hawaiʻi’s traditions and the stories they carry, reinforcing a sense of place that continues to shape the Kukuiʻula community.
More than a month on the calendar, Muʻumuʻu Month reminds us that tradition is not bound by time. It lives on through community, shared stories, and the simple joy of wearing something that connects us to one another, to our past, and to the island we call home