Long heritage of Native Hawaiian gender-fluidity showcased in Las Vegas drag show

62

Las Vegas Drag Show Celebrates Native Hawaiian Gender-Fluidity

In a vibrant Las Vegas drag show, drag queens adorned in the colors of the Hawaiian flag took the stage, dancing to a pulsating techno remix of “Aloha Oe,” a composition by Hawaii’s last monarch. The crowd erupted in applause as one performer swayed her hips in a Tahitian-style dance.

All the performers in this show, titled “Mahu Magic,” were “mahu,” a term in Hawaiian culture referring to individuals embodying both male and female spirits and displaying a mixture of gender traits. Through this drag show, they aimed to showcase the longstanding acceptance of gender-fluidity in Native Hawaiian culture, spanning hundreds of years, while also contributing to the ongoing national conversation on transgender rights.

Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, a mahu community leader, master teacher of hula and chanting, and one of the performers, explained the show’s unique purpose to the audience. She emphasized that it aimed to restore the rightful place of mahu between kane (man) and wahine (woman) in Hawaiian society. The crowd responded with enthusiastic cheers and applause.

Adam Keawe Manalo-Camp, an ethnohistorian who identifies as mahu and queer, expanded on the concept, highlighting that mahu can also encompass nonbinary individuals, those who identify as a third gender, and those attracted to individuals of the same gender. Manalo-Camp emphasized that mahu offers a space beyond the binary notions of male and female, bridging the gap between the two.

The Hawaiian language facilitates this concept by lacking gendered pronouns. While Wong-Kalu uses “she” and “her” in Western contexts, she prefers the Hawaiian language pronoun “o ia,” which applies to all individuals.

“Mahu Magic,” held on Tuesday, was sponsored by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, a nonprofit organization known for its rent relief and job training programs. The council typically hosts its conventions in Hawaii, but this year’s event took place in Nevada during Pride month. This shift acknowledged that more than half of the Native Hawaiian population now resides outside the islands.

Kuhio Lewis, CEO of the council, aimed to shed light on gender-fluidity for those who have lost touch with Hawaiian culture due to rising housing costs and gentrification, as well as Native Hawaiians who have become disconnected from their heritage in an increasingly mainland U.S.-influenced Hawaii. Approximately one-third of the 1,200 attendees traveled from Hawaii to Las Vegas, while the rest already lived outside the state.

Lewis stressed the importance of honoring and recognizing their identity to prevent losing their cultural heritage. The convention featured various workshops and discussions, including a panel that explored the evolution of traditional mahu roles. Other topics covered included hula, the Hawaiian language, and affordable housing.

During “Mahu Magic,” the performers, all of whom live as women, showcased their talents. Many other drag shows predominantly feature men who assume feminine roles solely for the performance.

Throughout Native Hawaiian history, mahu individuals have played vital roles as teachers, healers, and custodians of knowledge and traditions. One story dating back over 500 years recounts the visit of four mahu healers from Tahiti to Waikiki. To honor them, Hawaiians placed four boulders on the beach, which still stand today.

Despite this deep-rooted history, mahu awareness has diminished in Hawaii over the centuries due to foreign influences. Christian missionaries arriving in 1820 taught Hawaiians to reject anything deviating from clearly defined male and female roles. In 1893, U.S.-backed businessmen overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy, leading to the prohibition of Hawaiian language instruction in schools a few years later. Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1898.

Leikia Williams, the producer and a performer in the drag show, recalled that mahu was considered a derogatory term when she grew up in Honolulu in the 1980s. People would say, “Stop acting mahu.” However, the support of her “drag house,” which consisted of elder mahu and fellow mahu sisters, helped her cope. Williams expressed gratitude for her house mother, who taught them to embrace their true selves and hold their heads high, especially in public.

While there is greater understanding today, a 2018 state report highlighted that transgender youth in Hawaii are three times more likely to contemplate suicide and plan suicide attempts compared to their cisgender peers. Additionally, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment has made its way to Hawaii from states that have enacted laws excluding transgender children from girls’ sports teams and limiting their access to gender-affirming medical care.

This year, Republican lawmakers in Hawaii introduced a bill that would have mandated “separate sex-specific athletic teams or sports” in schools. However, the bill did not receive a hearing in the Democrat-dominated House or Senate.

On a positive note, lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a bill allowing the state to issue new marriage certificates for individuals who change their gender or sex. Governor Josh Green, a Democrat, indicated that he would sign the bill into law or allow it to become law without his signature.

Wong-Kalu pointed out that the influence of mainland U.S. culture exacerbates anti-mahu sentiments in Hawaii. Thus, featuring mahu individuals prominently during the Las Vegas event was crucial in challenging prejudice and decolonizing their people.

Eight out of ten performers in “Mahu Magic” were Native Hawaiian, while two had Samoan ancestry. Council CEO Kuhio Lewis deemed this fitting, as the conversation about mahu extends to the broader Oceania region. Similar concepts to mahu exist in other parts of Polynesia, such as Samoa and Tonga, with the Tahitian language even using the same term.

Williams highlighted the transformative power of performances, recounting instances where straight men initially uncomfortable with mahu individuals at drag shows later expressed gratitude, offered assistance, and recognized their shared humanity. Williams emphasized that these experiences educate people and reveal the authenticity and humanity of mahu individuals.

---

Reporting from Honolulu by McAvoy.