Welcome to Kaulana Ka Hale Kula ‘O Na Pua ‘O Ka Āina!
Kumu Hula Legacy
Storytelling also extends into Joshua's work behind the camera. A graduate of the Los Angeles Film School, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with double honors, Joshua has professional experience in filmmaking, directing, producing, cinematography, editing, broadcast media, and live production. His media work has included cultural documentaries, educational content, live events, concerts, promotional productions, and community storytelling.
Through film and digital media, Joshua works to document the people, voices, traditions, performances, and experiences that shape Hawaiian communities. He views media not simply as a means of entertainment, but as an important tool for preservation—creating visual and historical records that can educate and inspire generations that have yet to come.
Whether standing before students in a hālau, teaching within a university community, performing Hawaiian music, producing a cultural conference, documenting stories through film, or sharing Hawaiʻi with audiences from around the world, Joshua's purpose remains constant: to honor those who came before him while creating opportunities for those who will follow.
His work reflects the belief that culture survives when it is practiced, shared, protected, and entrusted to the next generation. Through education, mentorship, performance, leadership, and storytelling, Joshua continues his kuleana to strengthen Hawaiian cultural identity, connect communities across generations and geography, and cultivate future cultural stewards who will carry the ʻike and traditions of Hawaiʻi forward.
For Joshua, preservation is not simply about remembering the past—it is about ensuring that Hawaiian culture continues to live, grow, and thrive for generations to come.
For more than two decades, Joshua Kamuela Chang has dedicated his life to the preservation, perpetuation, and advancement of Hawaiian culture through hula, music, education, storytelling, mentorship, and community leadership. As a Kumu Hula, cultural practitioner, musician, educator, filmmaker, and nonprofit leader, his work is grounded in a commitment to ensuring that Hawaiian knowledge and traditions remain living practices—shared, experienced, and carried forward from one generation to the next.
Joshua's cultural foundation was shaped under the guidance of his father, Kumu Hula Randy Kaulana Chang, whose teachings, leadership, and dedication to Hawaiian culture established a legacy that Joshua continues today. Carrying forward that kuleana, Joshua leads Kaulana Ka Hale Kula ʻO Nā Pua ʻO Ka ʻĀina, creating a place where students are immersed not only in hula, but in the values, history, music, language, traditions, and responsibilities that accompany the practice.
For more than 18 years, Joshua has also shared Hawaiian culture within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) community, teaching and choreographing hula while helping generations of students develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for Hawaiʻi, its people, and its cultural traditions. His approach to education extends beyond learning choreography; it emphasizes cultural context, history, responsibility, and the importance of understanding the meaning behind what is practiced and performed.
Joshua's commitment to cultural education extends throughout the Hawaiian diaspora. Recognizing that Native Hawaiians and others connected to Hawaiʻi who live on the continent may have limited opportunities to engage directly with cultural practitioners, he has worked to create spaces where communities can gather, learn, reconnect, and strengthen their relationship with Hawaiian culture.
As Conference Chairperson for Kūlia I Ka Pūnāwai, Joshua oversees the development and production of one of Southern California's largest Hawaiian cultural educational conferences. Working alongside kumu hula, musicians, artisans, educators, cultural practitioners, volunteers, and community leaders, he helps bring respected practitioners together to share their ʻike through hula, mele, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, traditional arts, history, cultural discussions, and other educational experiences. The 2026 conference welcomed more than 240 participants and offered over 35 workshops and presentations led by more than 20 cultural practitioners and educators.
For Joshua, Kūlia I Ka Pūnāwai represents something greater than an annual conference. It is a gathering place where distance from Hawaiʻi does not have to mean distance from culture—a space where individuals and families can build relationships, seek knowledge, reconnect with identity, and participate in the continued transmission of Hawaiian traditions.
Music has also remained an integral part of Joshua's cultural journey. As a Hawaiian musician and falsetto vocalist, he uses mele as another means of storytelling and cultural preservation. His work as a recording and performing artist allows him to share the stories, language, places, people, and emotions of Hawaiʻi while continuing a musical tradition that has long served as a vessel for Hawaiian history and identity.
Joshua is also a member of the Walt Disney Entertainment Team, where he brings his experience as a Hawaiian musician, cultural practitioner, and performer to audiences from around the world. Through music, storytelling, performance, and cultural representation, he helps introduce guests of diverse backgrounds to the traditions and spirit of Hawaiʻi and Polynesia. This work extends cultural education beyond traditional classrooms and community spaces, providing opportunities for Hawaiian culture to reach an international audience.
Uncle Randy Kaulana Chang dedicated over 35 years to teaching and sharing the depth and beauty of Hawaiian culture. In 1996, he formally established his Hālau in Southern California, beginning with humble roots—from a small garage on Kornblum Avenue to the open slopes of Alondra Park, and later to a rented Karate Dojo. After years of growth and dedication, the hālau found a lasting home in Yukon Square Plaza, where it thrived for 21 years. Throughout its journey, the hālau evolved through the contributions of many devoted individuals, each helping to shape its legacy of excellence.
Founded with the mission of preserving and perpetuating Native Hawaiian culture, the hālau serves as a cornerstone for teaching traditional crafts, dance, music, and history—both of Hawaiʻi and the greater Polynesian diaspora. Under Uncle Randy’s leadership, the hālau has showcased its artistry on prestigious stages, competing in renowned events such as Merrie Monarch, E Hula Mau, and Kumukahi. Additionally, it has participated in numerous Kūlia I Ka Punawai(Kumu Hula Association of Southern California) projects, Pacific Islander festivals, and various educational and community engagements.
Born to Frank and Moana Chang, former residents of Carson, California, Uncle Randy was immersed in Hawaiian tradition from an early age. Under the guidance of his mother, Moana, he trained extensively in hula and Polynesian dance, initially focusing on mentoring young kāne (men) within her hula school. In 1999, he expanded his teachings to include wahine (women), sharing his boundless mana‘o (knowledge) with students far and wide. His unwavering dedication has touched countless lives, leaving a profound impact on those who have had the privilege of learning from him.
In 2022, Uncle Randy entrusted the hālau to his son, Joshua Kamuelaonakupanihianamekamahele Chang, ensuring the continuation of his life’s work. On April 23, 2024, Uncle Randy passed on, leaving behind an enduring legacy of cultural excellence and a thriving community dedicated to preserving the Hawaiian spirit.
We invite you to join our hālau and become a part of this remarkable journey—honoring the past, embracing the present, and carrying Hawaiian traditions into the future.
