Hula O Nā Keiki concludes 30th edition, Winners of Miss and Master Hula are from Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua

The 2022 Miss and Master Hula O Nā Keiki Overall Winners were Noah Kazuo Piʻimaiwaʻa Andrade and Lennon Aiko Kuʻualoha Nakada, both of Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua under the direction of Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla.

The event was held Nov. 10-12 at the Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel, which is marketed as “Hawaiʻi’s Most Hawaiian Hotel.” The 30^th anniversary edition showcased hula performed by children ages 5-17. Participants were tasked with learning, interpreting, and performing mele about Maui Nui. The three nights of celebration showcased nationally acclaimed Maui musicians including Grammy-award winners Amy Hanaialiʻi and Kalani Peʻa.

In celebration of the event’s milestone year, weekend festivities at the hotel included a Hawaiian Festival of Arts, Fashion and Food to complement the hula competition. “This expansion allowed the celebration of Hula O Nā Keiki to move beyond hula and mele to further promote and nurture Hawaiian cultural values for attendees,” organizers said.

“Over the last three decades, Hula O Nā Keiki has grown from a children’s hula competition to an iconic community celebration of Hawaiian culture,” said General Manager Mike White. “We look forward to seeing what the next 30 years hold for Hula O Nā Keiki and our ‘ohana at Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel.”

Dancers were judged on elements such as the Hawaiian language, chanting, stylistic interpretation, costumes and adornments. Contestants were also scored through individual interviews with a respected panel of judges, who asked questions to reveal their understanding and interpretation of dance, costume and adornments, and the use of the Hawaiian language. For the first time in 2022, groups larger than two were invited to participate.

Thirteen participants from seven hālau hula from Maui, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, and Kauaʻi competed in the event. This year’s participating kumu hula and hālau included:

Kumu Kamaka Kukona: Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua; Kumu Wehi Romias, Kumu Hōkūlani Chong, Kumu Karl Veto Baker and Michael Lanakila Casupang: Hālau I Ka Wēkiu; Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala; Kumu Lorna Kapualiko Lim: Hālau KawehileimamoikawēkiuʻoKohala; Kumu Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Kumu Lono Padilla: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua; Kumu Joy Keōpūolani Salvador: Hālau Keʻala Kahinano O Puna; Kumu Cody Pueo Pata: Hālau Hula ʻo Ka Malama Mahilani.

Below is a complete list of 2022 Hula O Nā Keiki winners:

OLI AND ʻŌLELO HAWAIʻI AWARD

• GROUP KEIKI KĀNE CATEGORY
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla
• GROUP KAIKAMAHINE CATEGORY
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla

GROUP KEIKI KĀNE HULA KAHIKO AWARD

• 1ST PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Keiki Kāne
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla
• 2ND PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua – Keiki Kāne
  • Kumu: Kamaka Kukona

GROUP KAIKAMAHINE HULA KAHIKO AWARD

• 1ST PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Kaikamahine
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla
• 2ND PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua – Kaikamahine
  • Kumu: Kamaka Kukona

GROUP KEIKI KĀNE HULA ʻAUANA AWARD

• 1ST PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Keiki Kāne
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla
• 2ND PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua – Keiki Kāne
  • Kumu: Kamaka Kukona

GROUP KAIKAMAHINE HULA ʻAUANA AWARD

• 1ST PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Kaikamahine
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla
• 2ND PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua – Kaikamahine
  • Kumu: Kamaka Kukona

KEIKI KĀNE INTERVIEW AWARD

• Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  • Inoa: Noah Kazuo Piʻimaiwaʻa Andrade
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla

KAIKAMAHINE INTERVIEW AWARD

• Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  • Inoa: Lennon Aiko Kuʻualoha Nakada
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla

OLI AND ʻŌLELO HAWAIʻI AWARD

• SOLO KEIKI KĀNE
  • Hālau: Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua
  • Inoa: Damien Kealiʻi Kona Aki
  • Kumu: Kamaka Kukona
• SOLO KAIKAMAHINE
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  • Inoa: Lennon Aiko Kuʻualoha Nakada
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla

2022 MASTER HULA O NĀ KEIKI OVERALL WINNER

• 1ST PLACE, 2022 Master Hula O Nā Keiki Overall Winner
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  • Inoa: Noah Kazuo Piʻimaiwaʻa Andrade
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla
• 2ND PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua
  • Inoa: Damien Kealiʻi Kona Aki
  • Kumu: Kamaka Kukona
• 3RD PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau I Ka Wēkiu
  • Inoa: Rease Lopaka Chong
  • Kumu: Karl Veto Baker and Michael Lanakila Casupang

2022 MISS HULA O NĀ KEIKI OVERALL WINNER

• 1ST PLACE, 2022 Miss Hula O Nā Keiki Overall Winner
  • Hālau: Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  • Inoa: Lennon Aiko Kuʻualoha Nakada
  • Kumu: Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla
• 2ND PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau KawehileimamoikawēkiuʻoKohala
  • Inoa: Alyssa Lauren Kāhikoleiʻōpuakauikawēkiuonālani Lim Ryder
  • Kumu: Lorna Kapuakiko Lim
• 3RD PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala
  • Inoa: Laʻakea Kawenaʻulaokalani Ahlan Chun
  • Kumu: Leināʻala Pavao Jardin
• 4TH PLACE
  • Hālau: Hālau Hula ʻo Ka Malama Mahilani
  • Inoa: Violet Pāweomalamakeao Mossman
  • Kumu: Cody Pueo Pata

The Akoni Akana Perpetual Award, identifying the kumu who best demonstrates Poʻokela (excellence) in preparing for Hula O Nā Keiki, was awarded to Cody Pueo Pata of Hālau Hula ʻo Ka Malama Mahilani.

The Akoni Akana scholarships, which are awarded for the intent of furthering each individual’s education in Hawaiian culture through college, hālau, mentorship programs, or other fine arts, were awarded to Keiki Kāne Winner Noah Kazuo Piʻimaiwaʻa Andrade and Kaikamahine Winner Alyssa Lauren Kāhikoleiʻōpuakauikawēkiuonālani Lim Ryder.

Hula O Nā Keiki has grown over the years, from a single day affair in 1990 to an entire weekend of Hawaiian arts and music; however, the objective remains unchanged: to educate children in the ways of their Hawaiian ancestors so that the culture can be carried forward. 

For more information on Hula O Nā Keiki and Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel, visit www.kbhmaui.com.