Four Maui hālau compete in 60th Merrie Monarch hula festival
Maui has four hālau competing in the 2023 Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, as the event concludes this evening at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. A total 21 hālau are participating, including 19 wahine and nine kāne performances.
Friday night the competition featured kahiko or ancient hula. Tonight, groups will perform ʻauana or modern hula, followed by results from the 60th event.
The women of Hālau Hula Kauluokalā, under the direction of Kumu Uluwehi Guerrero out of Kahului, Maui are 2nd in the lineup, followed by the women of Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, under the direction of Kumu Nāpua Greig of Kula, Maui at No. 9.
Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua, led by Kumu Carlson Kamaka Kukona III of Wailuku/Waikapū perform just before intermission as 14th in the line-up. Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of Nā Kumu Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku have their women at No. 23 in the lineup, and their men will perform second to last, in the No. 27 slot.
Maui Highlights:
For their kahiko selection, Hālau Hula Kauluokalā performed a hula, recalling the glory of Mokuʻula, the residential complex of Kauikeaouli, King Kamehameha III, in Lahaina, Maui. Tonight, their ʻauana “Lei Lokelani,” shares the beauty of Maui and the lokelani blossoms.
On Friday, Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka performed a mele inoa (name chant), “Ke ʻAla E Moana Mai” for Queen Emalani, which compared her to a lei of pearls. The women were dressed in white with green lei adornments and used an ʻulīʻulī gourd rattle for accompaniment. Tonight, they will pay tribute to the late Uncle Johnny Lum Ho, in the mele “Mohala Ka Hīnano.”
Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua of Wailuku/Waikapū highlighted Kamehameha’s “elite force” of spear throwers in the mele “Hole Waimea,” a name chant honoring Kamehameha the Great during their kahiko performance Friday night. In their ʻauana selection, the hālau will perform “He Aloha Moku O Keawe” which speaks of the peacefulness and beauty of the islands, according to festival literature.
The women of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi recounted the world travels of King Kalākaua in “Kuʻikuʻi Ka Lono” for their kahiko performance Friday. The hālau’s kāne group also honored the king in “ʻAlo I Ke Anu.”
Tonight, the women take guests/viewers on a journey aboard a neighbor island steamship in “Ka Loke O Maui,” which speaks of the windward cliffs of Keʻanae and the bays of Piʻilani, according to a festival program. Meantime, the men highlight Upcountry, Maui in “Nani ʻUlupalakua,” composed by kumu hula and musician Emma Farden Sharpe.
TV viewing and streaming available:
Video of each performance is available here.
Watch the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Hula Competition on https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/merriemonarch/ or by clicking the Merrie Monarch icon on the Hawaiʻi News Now app each night beginning at 6 p.m. HST on April 13-15, 2022.
The Merrie Monarch Festival is carried on K5 (Channel 6), Spectrum (Channel 6/Digital Channel 1006), Hawaiian Telcom (Channel 6), Direct TV (Channel 6) and Dish (Channel 8). Those using a broadcast antenna can find K5 on Big Island and Maui on Channel 6.1 and on Oʻahu on Channel 13.2.
Miss Aloha Hula 2023 Results:
On Thursday night, Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown of Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e was named Miss Aloha Hula 2023 at the 60th Merrie Monarch Festival at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.
This is the third year in a row that the hālau from Pūʻahuʻula, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu, under the direction of Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes, took top honors in the soloist competition.
Results from Thursday night include the following:
- Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown – Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes (1,148) 1st place
- Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao – Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala, Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin of Kalāheo, Kauaʻi (1,144) 2nd place / 1st runner up
- Meleāna Kamalani Mirafuentes– Hālau Nā Mama O Puʻuanahulu, under the direction of Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera (1,143) 3rd place / 2nd runner up / ʻOlelo award
- Karlee Pōhaikealoha Rita Chong-Kee – Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, under the direction of Nā Kumu Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes (1,130) 4th place / 3rd runner up
- Nohealeimamo Vaughan-Darval – Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, under the direction of Kumu Ka‘ilihiwa Vaughan-Darval(1,129) 5th place / 4th runner up
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