Maui dancers win halau and individual awards at Merrie Monarch Festival

IT WAS A CLEAN SWEEP for the dancers from Maui over the weekend at the 55th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo on the island of Hawaii.

Saturday night, (April 7) Maui’s Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, under the direction of Kumu Nāpua Greig, won the overall title at the 55th annual competition. The women took the overall festival title, overall wahine title, first place in the wahine ʻauana division and second place in the wahine kahiko division.

Among the criteria that judges used to score the halau were the adornments, expression, interpretation, posture, precision, hand gestures, foot and body movements, authenticity of costume and overall performance.

The panel of judges this year included Cy Bridges, Maelia Loebenstein-Carter, Ainsley Halemanu, Nalani Kanakaʻole Zane, Mae Kamamalu Klein, Piʻilani Lua and Kalena Silva.

Thursday night (April 6), one of the group's members, Shalia Kapuauionalani Kikuyo Kamakaokalani, won the Miss Aloha Hula 2018 title.

A total of 29 hula troupes — nine kane (men) and 20 wahine (women) — competed in the group kahiko competition on Friday, followed by the group auana competition on Saturday.

Shalia Kapuauionalani Kikuyo Kamakaokalan

Maui contestant Kamakaokalani, 21, dances for the winning Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka. Under the tutelage of her kumu hula (hula teacher) Grieg. She took the prestigious award with a total score of 1,130, edging out first runner-up, Ecstasy Jetta Laverne Kamakalikolehua Ligon.

RELATED: A hula for the ages

Kamakaokalani's hula kahiko (traditional hula) performance, “Lei No Kapi‘olani,” is an oli, a chant in Hawaiian, which commemorated Queen Kapiolani's journey through culturally significant locations on Maui such as Kauiki and Hana Bay. With elegance and grace, the specific hula she performed is called hula noho kalaau, where she remained partially seated and used percussion sticks, and her soulful voice to bring the audience's into her spirit.

For her hula auana (modern hula), Kamakaokalani danced to the tune of "Kaiulani." The song, which praises Princess Kaiulani for her intelligence and determination in her efforts to prevent the annexation of Hawaii, was the same song her kumu, Grieg, performed to in 1992 while competing for the Miss Aloha Hula title.

“It felt good,” she said of her performance. “I just wanted to honor who I was dancing for — Kapiolani and Ka‘iulani and bring them with me on my journey and also, my ohana, my halau, my kumu and friends.”

Watch their performances below:

The Merrie Monarch Fesitval held every year in Hilo, Hawaii, is dedicated to helping preserve the culture and traditions of ancient Hawaii. In preparation for the Merrie Monarch Festival hālau hula in Hawaiʻi and parts of the U.S. hold classes, workshops, and seminars throughout the year. Kumu hula (hula teachers) teach their dancers the art of hula, the meaning of Hawaiian chants and songs, the nuances of Hawaiian language, the craft of Hawaiian clothing and implements, and the history of the Hawaiian people. In this way knowledge is gained about the people of old, including our aliʻi (chiefs) and gods.

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