Merrie Monarch Festival: Kaui'i halau in near sweep of group competitions

Kaua'i's Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala sweep the 'wahini' group dances.

The crowds and dancers returned to the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Hawaii after a two-year interruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

For the first time, after 10 years of competing, Kaua‘i was the big winner in this year’s premier hula competition, a celebration of Native Hawaiian culture sweeping the wahini (women's) group dances.

For their dominance, the Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina’ala became the first Kaua‘i halau, or academy, to take home the title of overall festival winner in the event’s six-decade history.

The same school also won the award for the Wahini (women's) group dance categories.

What the Kaua'i academy accomplished in for the wahini dances, the Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi from Maui did in the Kane (men's) competition.

The festival's most prestigious individual award, Miss Aloha Hula, went to 21-year old Pi’ikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekauʻōnohi Lopes of Ka La ʻŌnohi Mai O Ha’eha’e based on Oahu.

Overall awards:

1. Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin (Kauaʻi) (1218)
2. Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes (Oʻahu) (1211)
3. Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo (Oʻahu):

Kāne Overall awards:

1. Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes (Maui)(597)
2. Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Oʻahu) (571)
3. Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera (Oʻahu) (564)
4. Kawai‘ulaokalā, Kumu Hula Keliʻihoʻomalu Puchalski (Oʻahu) (551)

Halau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi of Maui won the "Kane" (men's) competition.

Kāne ʻAuana awards: 

1. Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes (Maui) (601)
2. Kawaili‘ulā, Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe (Oʻahu) (593)
3. Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Oʻahu) (589)
4. Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera (Oʻahu) (575)

Wahine Overall award: 

1. Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin (Kauaʻi) (1218)
2. Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes (Oʻahu) (1211) (tie-breaker 1693)
3. Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo (Oʻahu) (1211) (tie-breaker 1691)

Wahine Kahiko awards: 

1. Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin (Kauaʻi) (607)
2. Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes (Maui) (604)
3. Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo (Oʻahu) (602)
4. Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes (Oʻahu) (601)
5. Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Oʻahu) (596)

Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala celebrated Kaua'i 

in their performances.

Wahine ʻAuana awards: 

1. Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin (Kauaʻi)(611)
2. Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes (Oʻahu) (610)
3. Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo (Oʻahu) (609)
4. Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Oʻahu) (606)
5. Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, Kumu Hula Kaʻilihiwa Vaughan-Darval (Oʻahu) (603)

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