Merrie Monarch Results 2019: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela Wins
By Wendy Osher
Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela out of Kalihi and Waimānalo, Oʻahu won the overall title at the 2019 Merrie Monarch Festival held in Hilo, Hawai’i. The hālau is led by nā kumu hula Kunewa Mook and Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o.
Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi placed third overall and third in the overall wahine categories. That was accomplished with a first place finish in the wahine ʻauana and fourth place finish in the wahine kahiko divisions. The hālau was led by nā kumu hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, Maui.
The results breakdown is posted below. (Click on the links for archived video footage of all performances via Merrie Monarch Festival and Hawaii News Now).
Earlier in the competition, Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalani of Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua won the title of Miss Aloha Hula 2019. She dances under the direction of nā kumu hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (formerly of Maui). The hālau also earned a third place finish in the wahine ʻauana division.
Overall
- First place: 1190 Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, Nā Kumu Hula: Kunewa Mook and Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o of Kalihi & Waimānalo, Oʻahu
- Second place: 1174 Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula: William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu ʻSonnyʻ Ching/Lōpaka Igarta-DeVera of Kapahulu, Oʻahu
- Third place: 1172 Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Hula: Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, Maui
Wahine overall
- First place: 1190 Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, Nā Kumu Hula: Kunewa Mook and Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o of Kalihi & Waimānalo, Oʻahu
- Second place: 1174 Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula: William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu ʻSonnyʻ Ching/Lōpaka Igarta-DeVera of Kapahulu, Oʻahu
- Third place: 1172 Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Hula: Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, Maui
Kāne overall
- First place: 1163 Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā, Kumu Hula: Kaleo Trinidad of Honolulu, Oʻahu
- Second place: 1160 Kawailiʻulā, Kumu Hula: Chinky Māhoe of Kailua, Oʻahu
- Third place: 1157 Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani, Kumu Hula: Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang of Hilo, Hawaiʻi
Wahine Kahiko
- First: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o of Kalihi and Waimānalo, Oʻahu (602)
- Second: Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu ʻSonnyʻ Ching/Lōpaka Igarta-DeVera of Kapahulu, Oʻahu (597)
- Third: Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima, Māpuana de Silva of Ka‘ōhao, Kailua, Koʻolaupoko, O‘ahu (594)
- Fourth: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, Maui (583)
- Fifth: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Tracie and Keawe Lopes of Pūʻahuʻula, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu (574)
Wahine ʻAuana
- First: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, Maui (589)
- Second: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o of Kalihi and Waimānalo, Oʻahu (588)
- Third: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla of Kalihi Kai, Oʻahu (587)
- Fourth: Hālau I Ka Wēkiu, Karl Veto Baker and Michael Casupang of Pauoa, Oʻahu (583)
- Fifth: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin of Kalāheo, Kaua‘i (581)
Kāne Kahiko
- First: Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā, Kaleo Trinidad of Honolulu, Oʻahu (594)
- Second: Kawailiʻulā, Chinky Māhoe of Kailua, Oʻahu (590)
- Third: Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu ʻSonnyʻ Ching/Lōpaka Igarta-DeVera of Kapahulu, Oʻahu (573)
- Fourth: Kawaiʻulaokalā, Keliʻi Puchalski of Kalaepōhaku, Oʻahu (570)
Kāne ʻAuana
- First: Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani, Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang of Hilo, Hawaiʻi (598)
- Second: Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu ʻSonnyʻ Ching/Lōpaka Igarta-DeVera of Kapahulu, Oʻahu (574)
- Third: Kawaiʻulaokalā, Keliʻi Puchalski of Kalaepōhaku, Oʻahu (571)
- Fourth: Kawailiʻulā, Chinky Māhoe of Kailua, Oʻahu (570)

Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela. Hula: He Lei Aloha No Hilo. Nā Kumu Hula: Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o. Home: Kalihi & Waimānalo, Oʻahu. Photo Credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela. Hula: ʻO Lono ʻOe. Nā Kumu Hula: Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o. Home: Kalihi & Waimānalo, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu. Hula: No Ke Aha Nō ʻOe. Nā Kumu Hula: William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu ʻSonnyʻ Ching/Lōpaka Igarta-DeVera. Moku: Kapahulu, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu. Hula: No Ka Laʻi Awakea. Nā Kumu Hula: William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu ʻSonnyʻ Ching/Lōpaka Igarta-DeVera. Moku: Kapahulu, Oʻahu. Photo credit Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. Hula: Huelo. Nā Kumu Hula: Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes. Moku: Wailuku, Maui. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. Hula: He Inoa Kēia No Kapiʻolani. Nā Kumu Hula: Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes. Moku: Wailuku, Maui. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā. Hula: He Maʻi Kēia Nou E Davida. Kumu Hula: Kaleo Trinidad. Moku: Honolulu, Oʻahu. Photo Credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā. Hula: Ka Ua I Hāmākua. Kumu Hula: Kaleo Trinidad. Moku: Honolulu, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Kawailiʻulā. Hula: Maui Nō Ē Ka ʻOi – ʻO Maui. Kumu Hula: Chinky Māhoe. Moku: Kailua, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Kawailiʻulā. Hula: Maui Nui A Kama. Kumu Hula: Chinky Māhoe. Moku: Kailua, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani. Hula: Ka Uwila Mākēneki. Kumu Hula: Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang. Moku: Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani. Hula: ʻO Puna Lau Momona. Kumu Hula: Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang. Moku: Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Kawailiʻulā. Hula: He Mele No Kanaloa. Kumu Hula: Chinky Māhoe. Moku: Kailua, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua. Hula: Kahu Ka ʻEna I Ka Imu Kai Koʻo. Nā Kumu Hula: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV & Lono Padilla. Moku: Kalihi Kai, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani. Hula: He Mele No Kihawahine. Kumu Hula: Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang. Moku: Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Ke Kai O Kahiki. Hula: Kahi Kēia O Niʻihau. Kumu Hula: Laʻakea Perry. Moku: Waiʻanae, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e. Hula: Ka Nani I Kumukahi. Nā Kumu Hula: Tracie & Keawe Lopes. Moku: Pūʻahuʻula, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. Hula: He Aloha Nō ʻO Honolulu. Nā Kumu Hula: Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes. Moku: Wailuku, Maui. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. Hula: Kū ʻOe Koʻu Wahi ʻŌhelo Nei. Nā Kumu Hula: Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes. Moku: Wailuku, Maui. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua. Hula: Kahi, Lua, Kolu. Kumu Hula: Kamaka Kukona. Moku: Waikapū, Maui. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua. Hula: He Kau No Hiʻiakaikapoliopele. Nā Kumu Hula: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV & Lono Padilla. Moku: Kalihi Kai, Oʻahu. Photo Credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Congratulations Miss Aloha Hula 2019. Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalani. Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua. Nā Kumu Hula: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV & Lono Padilla. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Congratulations Miss Aloha Hula 2019. Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalani. Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua. Nā Kumu Hula: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV & Lono Padilla. Photo credit: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea. Hula: E Piʻi i Ka Nāhelehele. Kumu Hula: Kapua Dalire-Moe. Moku: Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu. Merrie Monarch Festival