Leo Kupa

Chris Spotted Eagle is the spiritual leader for the Las Vegas Paiute Nation, a role he carries with deep reverence and responsibility. Raised on the Paiute Reservation in Las Vegas and connected to the Moapa Band of Paiutes, Chris is a living bridge between ancestral tradition and the modern urban landscape of Nevada. His family legacy is woven into the very fabric of Las Vegas — his grandfather helped fabricate the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign. As a song carrier and cultural steward, Chris brings an indigenous Nevada perspective that is both rare and essential to the conversation about preserving identity away from ancestral homelands. In this episode, Chris and Mailani share about their respective cultural practices, pulling similarities between Hawaiian and Paiute traditions. Chris speaks about the origin of his people to their ancestral lands and how he carries that responsibility as a leader of his community. This Leo Kupa Podcast Series explores the vibrant heartbeat of Hawaiian culture thriving in Las Vegas — the place Hawaiians lovingly call the Ninth Island. Through intimate conversations with practitioners, elders, and community builders, we journey into what it means to carry the sacred traditions of Hawaiʻi across the ocean and into the desert, keeping them alive with reverence, resilience, and aloha. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huimauliola/ https://www.instagram.com/leokupa_podcast/ Visit our website: huimauliola.org  Support us with a donation: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=SAC7XBZMJZJCC  Listen on the go with the audio version of this episode: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5lwSakTQacHbYS8WSQcYAB?si=5237a5949e774823  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/leo-kupa/id1116560151  [alt for podbead] Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeoKupa_Podcast  Mahalo to the sponsors of this episode: Island Fin Poke:  https://www.islandfinpoke.com/ Waiakea Water: https://waiakea.com/  This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number MN-252929-OMS-23. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This project received support from Papa Ola Lōkahi through the Makamaka Ola program. We gratefully acknowledge their generous funding, which helps us continue uplifting Native Hawaiian voices and traditional healing practices through the Leo Kupa Las Vegas series.

We are honored to feature Tiffanie Zuttermeister. A respected kumu hula, lei maker, and community minded guest whose work reflects the heart of Hawaiian Culture and connection in Las Vegas. Born and raised in Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu, she carries a long and deep hula lineage that informs her teaching, her presence, and her commitment to preserving tradition. As a kumu hula, Tiffanie brings the depth of that lineage to the ninth island, sharing hula as both cultural practice and the living expression. In this episode, Tiffanie and Mailani discuss Tiffanie’s journey to teaching hula and the kuleana that comes with it. She shares her gratitude for the continued support of her Kumu and reflects on the importance of lifelong learning, recognizing that every day brings a new opportunity to learn, grow, and deepen her practice as she leads her hālau from Las Vegas. This Leo Kupa Podcast Series explores the vibrant heartbeat of Hawaiian culture thriving in Las Vegas — the place Hawaiians lovingly call the Ninth Island. Through intimate conversations with practitioners, elders, and community builders, we journey into what it means to carry the sacred traditions of Hawaiʻi across the ocean and into the desert, keeping them alive with reverence, resilience, and aloha. Follow us on Instagram: Hui Mauli Ola Leo Kupa Podcast   Visit our website: huimauliola.org    Support us with a donation Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeoKupa_Podcast  Mahalo to the sponsors of this episode: Pilialoha:   Waiakea Water This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number MN-252929-OMS-23. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This project received support from Papa Ola Lōkahi through the Makamaka Ola program. We gratefully acknowledge their generous funding, which helps us continue uplifting Native Hawaiian voices and traditional healing practices through the Leo Kupa Las Vegas series.

Healoha Kamanu is not only a gifted Polynesian tattoo artist, but also a cultural custodian, utilizing the ancient art of tatau (tattooing) to tell stories, honor heritage, and mark significant life journeys for the Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Las Vegas. Their work goes beyond aesthetics, serving as a powerful medium for cultural expression and a reminder of identity in the diaspora, making them a profound voice for understanding how traditions are etched into modern lives. In this conversation, Mailani and Healoha reflect on Healoha’s beginnings in freehand art and her journey to Las Vegas. They discuss her path into mentorship and her vision for uplifting cultural arts through her studio, while continuing to seek ʻike (knowledge) by traveling throughout Polynesia. This Leo Kupa Podcast Series explores the vibrant heartbeat of Hawaiian culture thriving in Las Vegas — the place Hawaiians lovingly call the Ninth Island. Through intimate conversations with practitioners, elders, and community builders, we journey into what it means to carry the sacred traditions of Hawaiʻi across the ocean and into the desert, keeping them alive with reverence, resilience, and aloha. Follow us on Instagram: Hui Mauli Ola Leo Kupa Podcast Visit our website: huimauliola.org  Our Guest, Healoha Kamanu:  @Healoha Kamanu Support us with a donation Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeoKupa_Podcast  Mahalo to the sponsors of this episode: Da Hale Bar and Grill Waiakea Water  This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number MN-252929-OMS-23. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This project received support from Papa Ola Lōkahi through the Makamaka Ola program. We gratefully acknowledge their generous funding, which helps us continue uplifting Native Hawaiian voices and traditional healing practices through the Leo Kupa Las Vegas series.

Mikiʻala Wills is a young Hawaiian living in Las Vegas who carries the spirit of her homeland in everything she does. Far from the shores of Hawaiʻi, she speaks ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) fluently, dances hula with deep intentionality, and embraces traditional Hawaiian cultural practices as a form of natural healing — a way of staying rooted, whole, and connected to her identity while navigating life in the desert. For Mikiʻala, culture is not performance, it is medicine. Hula is prayer. Language is breath. Her story reflects the quiet, daily courage of a young Hawaiian woman choosing to live her culture fully, even thousands of miles from home. This Leo Kupa Podcast Series explores the vibrant heartbeat of Hawaiian culture thriving in Las Vegas — the place Hawaiians lovingly call the Ninth Island. Through intimate conversations with practitioners, elders, and community builders, we journey into what it means to carry the sacred traditions of Hawaiʻi across the ocean and into the desert, keeping them alive with reverence, resilience, and aloha. Follow us on Instagram: Hui Mauli Ola Leo Kupa Podcast Visit our website: huimauliola.org  Support us with a donation Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeoKupa_Podcast  Mahalo to the sponsors of this episode: Tizzles' Grindz Waiakea Water This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number MN-252929-OMS-23. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This project received support from Papa Ola Lōkahi through the Makamaka Ola program. We gratefully acknowledge their generous funding, which helps us continue uplifting Native Hawaiian voices and traditional healing practices through the Leo Kupa Las Vegas series.

Kumu Hula Vincent Iokimo Souza is a revered teacher and guardian of Hawaiian cultural traditions. Kumu Vincent is a master of hula and an advocate for the preservation of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), carrying forth the legacy of his ancestors and ensuring its vibrancy in the modern world. His journey embodies the profound responsibility (kuleana) of perpetuating cultural knowledge, making him an ideal voice to discuss how Hawaiian identity thrives through spoken word, chant, and dance. In this conversation, Kumu Vincent shares about his hula lineage which he traces through his kumu, John Lake. He discusses the importance of understanding his kuleana as both a responsibility and a privilege - one he carries with honor as he perpetuates his kumu's teachings, now from Las Vegas where he has resided since 2008.  This Leo Kupa Podcast Series explores the vibrant heartbeat of Hawaiian culture thriving in Las Vegas — the place Hawaiians lovingly call the Ninth Island. Through intimate conversations with practitioners, elders, and community builders, we journey into what it means to carry the sacred traditions of Hawaiʻi across the ocean and into the desert, keeping them alive with reverence, resilience, and aloha. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/huimauliola/ instagram.com/leokupa_podcast/ Visit our website: huimauliola.org  Support us with a donation: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=SAC7XBZMJZJCC Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtwiLZWeD8usvx_z-bIrIPg Mahalo to the sponsors of this episode: Kanani's Cafe Waiakea Water   This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number MN-252929-OMS-23. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This project received support from Papa Ola Lōkahi through the Makamaka Ola program. We gratefully acknowledge their generous funding, which helps us continue uplifting Native Hawaiian voices and traditional healing practices through the Leo Kupa Las Vegas series.