Kūikawā is comprised of Lukela Kanae , Koakāne Mattos , and Joshua Kulhavy-Sutherland. They met in 2016 as students in the Institute of Hawaiian Music at the University of Hawaii Maui campus. As avid fans of Hawaiian music and lovers of good harmony, they quickly formed a group and began to play their favorite songs, inspired by their deep love, appreciation and kuleana to their Maui home.