Meridith Kawēkiu Aki was born and raised in Berkeley, CA.
She began taking dance classes at the age of 2 years. Throughout her childhood she learned many different styles of dance, including many forms of “world dance”.
In 1993 she took her first class from Kumu hula Māhealani Uchiyama and has continued ever since.
In 2006 she became an alaka’i of Kumu Māhea’s Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine. With Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine, Kawēkiu has performed throughout California and internationally, appearing in venues ranging from the Hollywood Bowl and Kū Mai Ka Hula of Kahului, Maui, to the Heiva celebrations of Tahiti, French Polynesia and Te Papa Tongareva, the National Museum of New Zealand.
Kawēkiu is grateful to share hālau life with her husband and two children.