Hoʻoilina, which means legacy or inheritance, is set in pre-pandemic Hawaiʻi upon the luxurious slopes of Lēʻahi and hones in on a Kanaka Maoli (Hawaiian) family anxiously poised for a will reading that will determine the fate of a huge inheritance from their beloved matriarch. Just as the will is about to be read, a quirky stranger appears at the door, claiming her right to the hefty endowment. As chaos ensues, family secrets are revealed, causing them to question their own relationships, identity and future as Kānaka, while being insidiously constricted by the pressures of capitalism and cultural loss. The characters explore real-time issues such as what it takes to be considered Hawaiian.

Spotlighting ʻōlelo māhū

Most of the play is performed in Hawaiian, however audiences will also hear performers speak in a multitude of languages such as Pidgin, English and what Writer Ākea Kahikina dubs ʻōlelo māhū (Queer creole).