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)

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Merrie Monarch Festival will be held this summer

The Merrie Monarch hula competition draws schools from all over the islands.

After being canceled last year because of the coronavirus, the Merrie Monarch Festival has developed safety guidelines and virtual format so that the hula competition can be held this summer.

The ultimate hula competition has been held annuallly since 1964, except for 2020. Hula schools and individual dancers from all over the islands compete in the festival meant to preserve the Native Hawaiian culture.

“The health and wellbeing of all hālau participants and the community overall was our top priority then and continues to be now as we move forward with holding the event this year,” said Kawelu who worked with health professionals and a team of advisors to develop safety guidelines modeled after those used by professional sports teams and associations over the past year. 

“We are grateful to our partners, including representatives from The Queen’s Health Systems, that are lending their time, expertise and resources to help us set up and implement this comprehensive safety plan,” Kawelu continued.

The 2019 Miss Aloha Kahiko title was won by Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalani.

All hālau participants, festival staff, as well as the television production crew have agreed to follow the guidelines that include undergoing multiple COVID testings, a 5-day isolation period prior to entering the competition venue for the first time, and daily screenings to continually monitor participants for symptoms. 

Kumu Hula Keʻano Kaʻupu of Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua shared that, “it was a lot to consider given that competition preparation is intense in and of itself. But hula isn’t just an activity we do, it is our way of life and we really wanted to be back in this Merrie Monarch space and community.” 

Fellow Kumu, Lono Padilla, added that “the level of detail and analysis that went into the guidelines and protocols reassured us that this was something we could do safely.”

County of Hawaiʻi Mayor Mitch Roth affirmed the County’s support of the festival saying, “as a dedicated and crucial partner, the County of Hawai‘i continues to work closely with Merrie Monarch Festival President Luana Kawelu, and the Organizing Committee.” Roth specifically acknowledged the plan saying, “I have received, read and approved the comprehensive and robust outline of the extensive protocols and actions.” 

Men dancers compete in the Merrie Monarch Festival.

As announced in November 2020, there will be no live audience but there will be a three-night television broadcast of the competition on Hawaiʻi News Now’s KFVE. 

Performances will take place and be judged in Hilo at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium on June 24, 25, and 26 and then be broadcasted on KFVE the following week on July 1, 2 and 3 at which time the winners will be announced. 

There are a total of 15 hālau participating (listed below) that will present 11 Wahine and eight Kāne performances in both the Kahiko and ʻAuana categories as well as seven Miss Aloha Hula entrants.

Following is a list of the participating Hālau:
-Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua
-Hālau Hula ‘O Nāpunaheleonāpua
-Hālau Hula Ke ‘Olu Makani O Mauna Loa
-Hālau Hula Olana
-Hālau I Ka Wēkiu
-Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā‘ala
-Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea
-Hālau Kala‘akeakauikawēkiu
Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi
-Hālau Keolakapuokalani
-Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua
-Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e
-Kawai‘ulaokalā
-Kawaili‘ulā
-Ke Kai O Kahiki

A hula for the ages

Kayli Kaʻiulani Carr tells a story through the hula.

THE HULA has become such an essential - some say trite - part of the tourist experience in Hawaii that it is easy to forget the significant role it plays in retaining the culture and heritage of native Hawaiians.

You won't find grass skirts and coconut shell bras at the 53rd Marrie Monarch Festival, a celebration of the hula held annually. Earlier this month, Kayli Ka'iulani Carr, 25, won the  competition to be named the 2016 Miss Aloha Hula.

For many native Hawaiians, hula is not simply a dance, but a way of life. In ancient Hawaii, hula was a way of communicating stories and perpetuating the traditional culture — a lesson that Carr takes seriously. She was one of the 12 contestants representing their hula schools. She is from the 10-year old Kalihi-based Hālau Hiʻiakainamakalehua, a relatively new school.

Social media is still buzzing about Carr's performance on the first night of the contest when she performed a fast-paced traditional hula. Part of the hula included an oli, a chant in the Hawaiian language, which she delivered, appearing at times that as if she was in a trance.  The oli, "Mele Inoa No Kīhāpiʻilani," exalted the royal line of Liholiho. But you don't have to understand it to appreciate the intensity of her performance.

That set up her inquired khaki (traditional hula), with strong and precise movements.

“It felt awesome, wonderful,” said Carr, who performs at Chief's Luau at Sea Life Park. “I really just tried to be in the moment. I mean, it’s only 14 minutes and you work so hard. You work for four months to get to this point. I didn’t want it to pass me by too quickly.”

Watch Carr's performance and see if it doesn't raise the hair on your arms.