Queenie Ventura Dowsett

The first official oral histories for Hula Preservation Society were with Auntie Queenie at her homestead in Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island. With glorious Mauna Kea in view and husband Jamie never far away, she and Auntie Nona Beamer sat for two days and talked and talked, all with our cameras rolling. It was an amazing way to start this long-term journey with our willing elders, and over the next 15 years, Auntie Queenie became a part of our core “kūpuna crew” that led countless HPS public programs across the islands. To many, when she danced, she was her kumu personified—the extraordinary Iolani Luahine. It was wonderful to hear about Auntie Io, to see the sparkle in Auntie Queenie’s eyes, and to feel the loving spirit that emanated from her heart when she recalled times with her mentor. Auntie Queenie will always hold a most special place in the forever history of HPS, as she set the standard for what was to come with the dozens of elders that have been interviewed since that first humble meeting in 2000.