Merrie Monarch Festival 2022 Results: Kauaʻi hālau wins overall; Maui sweeps kāne divisions

Hulō! to the Hālau from Kauaʻi!

Kauaʻi’s Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, under the direction of Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin took the overall title at the 59th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival, in Hilo Hawaiʻi.

The hālau swept awards in the wahine division, winning first place honors in both the wahine kahiko and wahine ‘auana divisions. They are the first hālau from the island of Kauaʻi to take the overall title, according to a post event interview conducted by Hawaiʻi News Now’s Keahi Tucker.

This is the 10th anniversary of Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, according to Jardin. “We really focused on the haku mele–the composers. I feel it’s truly important to make sure, and just understand and make that connection with the mele, with their ʻohana, if they’re no longer here,” Jardin said in the televised broadcast.

In their ʻauana performance, the women graced the stage in long purple dresses, expressing their love for the Garden Isle in a mele penned by Robert Uluwehi Cazimero, “Kauaʻi Lana I Ke Kai.”

For kahiko, the hālau paid “tribute to Kukuiolono Park and other well-known features on Kauaʻi,” in the mele “Hoʻoheno Nō Ka Poli Lauaʻe.”

Rounding out the top three spots were Oʻahu hālau Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e and Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, who took home second and third place overall respectively.

Maui’s Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi sweeps kāne divisions

From Maui, the seven men of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, swept first place honors in both the kāne kahiko and kāne ʻauana divisions.

The kāne kahiko, the men paid tribute to Prince Jonah Kūhiō in the name chant, “Ku’u Ipo Kēhau” from the private collection of Mary Kawena Pukui. In their hula ʻauana, the men of Kekuaokalāʻau’alaʻiliahi performed “ʻEleʻio,” written by their Kumu ʻIliahi Paredes in 2019, telling of the speedy messenger of Maui.

The women of Kekuaokalāʻau’alaʻiliahi earned second place honors in the wahine kahiko division for their tribute to Princess Victoria Ka’iulani Cleghorn in the name chant, “Pōhina Ka Ua.” Cleghorn was the niece of King David Kalākaua–the namesake of the festival. They utilized bamboo pūʻili instruments, and were adorned in lilac off-the-shoulder blouses, palapalai kūpee, crown flower lei, and vibrant purple lei poʻo.

Also performing from Maui were the women of Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua, who performed “A Koʻolau Au” for their kahiko selection, and “Hāʻena I Ka ʻEhukai,” a song about Kauaʻi. The group was led by Kumu Hula Kamaka Kukona out of Waikapū, Maui.

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) (1211)

Kāne Overall awards:

1. Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes (Maui) (1198)
2. Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Oʻahu) (1160)
3. Kawaili‘ulā, Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe (Oʻahu) (1143)

Kāne Kahiko 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)

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)

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)

Miss Aloha Hula 2022:

On Thursday night, Pi‘ikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekau‘ōnohi Lopes of Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e was named Miss Aloha Hula 2022 at the 59th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival on Thursday night at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. 

Lopes, who is both a haumana (student) and daughter to Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes, accepted her honor, paying tribute to both her family and the Hawaiian language in the process.

1. Pi‘ikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekau‘ōnohi Lopes – Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes (1168) 1st place / ʻOlelo award
2. Auliʻionāpualokekūonaona Jon-Marie Hisayo Faurot – Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o (1105) 2nd place / 1st runner up
3. Marina Laʻakea Choi – Nā Kumu Hula Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV & Lono Padilla (1097) 3rd place / 2nd runner up
4. Manaia Kawaipuamakanakauʻikawēkiumekanoeuʻiokeolamaikalaniākea Dalire Moe  – Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe (1095) 4th place / 3rd runner up
5. Kyleigh Hōkūao Manuel-Sagon – Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes from Maui (1094) 5th place / 4th runner up