Four Maui hālau compete in 61st Merrie Monarch hula festival

Maui has four hālau competing in the 2024 Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, as the event’s competition kicks off this evening at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.

Miss Aloha Hula 2024:

Tonight’s competition features 13 women vying for the title of Miss Aloha Hula 2024. Maui entrants include:

• Shayla Angeline Kamalei Ballesteros under the direction of Kumu Hula Nāpua Silva
• Amedée Kauakohemālamalama Conley-Kapoi under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes

Ballesteros, who is a student of Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, will appear fourth in tonight’s lineup. For her kahiko, she has selected “He Inoa No Ka Lani, No Nāhiʻenaʻena,” in honor of Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena, the sacred daughter of Keōpūolani and Kamehameha I. Her ʻauana selection is “No Uka Ke Aloha” a composition that speaks of the matriarchal name Kahulumealani and the genealogy from which the hālau descends.

Conley-Kapoi, who is a student of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, will perform “Kawēkiu He Inoa,” in honor of Princess Victoria Kawēkiu Kaʻiulani Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Cleghorn. For her ʻauana selection, she performs “Kalepa,” the name of a gulch between Kaupō and Kīpahulu on the island of Maui. She appears sixth in tonight’s lineup.

All dances before intermission tonight are in the kahiko style. After intermission, the soloists perform in the same order for their ʻauana selections.

The 2023 Miss Aloha Hula winner was Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown of Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e. It marked 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.

Maui Highlights:

The festival continues on Friday night with group kahiko or ancient hula performances. Saturday night, groups will perform ʻauana or modern hula, followed by results from the 61st event.  A total 22 hālau are participating, including 15 wahine and 10 kāne groups.

The men of Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua, led by Kumu Carlson Kamaka Kukona III of Wailuku/Waikapū perform second in the lineup on both days. The women of the same hālau will appear in the No. 7 slot during the competition.

The women of Hālau Hula Kauluokalā, under the direction of Kumu Uluwehi Guerrero out of Kahului, Maui are fourth in the lineup, followed by the women of Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, under the direction of Kumu Nāpua Silva of Kula, Maui who will appear as the 12th group of the night. 

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of Nā Kumu Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku have their women appear 16th in the lineup, and their men will perform as the last group (29th) on both nights. 

TV viewing and streaming available:

Video of each performance will be available here.

Watch the 61st 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 4-6, 2024

The Merrie Monarch Festival is carried on K5 (Channel 1006/06), Spectrum (Channel 6/Digital Channel 1006), and Hawaiian Telcom (Channel 1006/06).