New Miss Aloha carries on family tradition at Merrie Monarch festival

MERRRIE MONARCH

Kaʻōnohikaumakaakeawe Kananiokeakua Holokai Lopes

You can say winning the Miss Aloha Hula title at the  61st annual Merrie Monarch Festival was almost inevitable for Ka'onohikaumakaakeawe Kanani okeakua Holokai Lopes.

Lopes  earned the Miss Aloha Hula title and Hawaiian language award at the 61st annual Merrie Monarch Festival held in Hilo, Hawaii last April 4.. 

The 2024 Miss Aloha is the third member of the Lopes ohana to win the title. Her sister won the title in 2022 and her mother won the same honor 30 years ago.

“I grew up watching her (mother) dance so it was so special to be dancing on that same stage as she did 30 years ago, and my sister two years ago,”  said Lopes. Her sister, Piʻikea Kekihenelehuawewehiikekauʻonohi, won the title in 2022.

The 2024 Miss Aloha performs a hula at the Merrie Monarch festival.

It was also the fourth year in a row that Miss Aloha came from the same hālau,  Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe, directed by her parents, Tracie and R. Keawe Lopes.

“One of the goals in Kawaihuelani is for our predominantly Hawaiian population of students to acquire their language and realize a sense of self through ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi,” said C. M. Kaliko Baker, a Kumu ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi at UH Mānoa. “That sense of self was evident in the way that Kaʻōnohi carried herself ... She absolutely knew who she was.”

The Merrie Monarch festival is an annual week-long cdance ompetition and celebration for the preservation of Hawaiian culture. Not only must the  Miss Aloha contestant perform a traditional and modern hula, she also must demonstrate her proficiency in the Hawaiian language. 

FYI: For more results of the 61st Merrie Monarch festival.

Contestants are judged on a variety of criteria, everything from posture, expression, costume authenticity and mele (song) interpretation. Each contestant is required to dance both hula kahiko (ancient) and ʻauana (modern).

• In second place was Amedée Kauakohemālamalama Conley-Kapoi of Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi.
• Third place: Nāhakuʻelua ʻĀpuakēhau Kekauoha of Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela.
• Fourth place: Heleolanimaināmakaohāʻena Hailee Jo Yokotake of Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā'ala; 
• Fifth place: Caly Ann Kamōʻīwahineokaimana Ragonton Domingo of Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu.

It was a big week for the Lopes hula dance school. The Oʻahu hālau, also took the overall title at the 61st annual hula festival. The hālau placed No. 1 in the overall wahine and wahine ʻauana divisions, as well as third in the wahine kahiko, and fourth place in the kāne ʻauana and kahiko divisions.

Oʻahu hālau also won the Wahini competition.

FYI: Watch more performances from the 61st Merrie Monarch Festival.

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