Maui hula hālau earn multiple awards at 2024 Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula 2024 competition

Two hālau from Maui brought home multiple awards from 2024 Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula competition held at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, July 25-27. The event, now in its 49th year, drew hundreds of participants from 18 hālau across the state, with the largest contingent of 57 dancers coming from Wailuku, Maui.

Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka under the direction of Kumu Nāpua Silva of Waiōhuli, Maui, drew a first place award for the event’s Miss Keiki Hula and a fifth place finish in the girls group kahiko division. The boys of Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes out of Wailuku, Maui earned a first place finish in the kahiko or traditional hula division and second place in ʻauana or modern hula; and the girls of Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi earned a third place finish in the kahiko division, and a fourth place for their ʻauana entry.

In the soloist competition held on Thursday night, Maui’s own Charly ʻAilana Kuʻuipo Magno won the title of Miss Keiki Hula 2024. The 12-year-old from Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, danced to Wai Hiwahiwa o Mokuhinia, a song composed by Maui recording artist and Kumu hula, Cody Pueo Pata. Fellow Maui contestant, Moriah Rene Kulia Kewelinaokealoha Leiwehiokamamalu Faapaia Foster of Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi earned the runner-up award in the soloist competition, which drew 14 kaikamahine contestants. The 10-year-old danced a hula ʻauana to Mele o Ke Keʻena Kalaunu, composed by Randie Kamuela Fong.

In the Master Keiki Hula division for boys, Maui’s Kaison Honokeana Kekoʻaokaiʻa Pali, 11, earned a fourth place finish among seven keikikāne entrants. The haumana of Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, performed a hula to Aloha ʻia no ʻo Honolua, composed by Cody Pueo Pata.

The competition’s namesake, Queen Liliʻuokalani (born Princess Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha) was born on Sept. 2, 1838. In her honor, festival highlights will be televised sometime in September. The event, which returned to the Neal S.Blaisdell Center after a five-year absence, represents the best of what hula means to the community and the hall who hail from Maui, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island, according to an event program.

Full results from the 2024 event are posted below:
*Maui results are highlighted in pink.

Keikikāne Overall

• Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Wendell Kalanikapuaenui Silva Overall Perpetual Trophy)

Kaikamahine – Overall

• Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinaʻala – Kumu Leinaʻala Pavao Jardin – Kalāheo, Kauaʻi (Pat Namaka Bacon Overall Perpetual Trophy)

ʻAuana – Keikikāne

1. Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Mele: Kuʻu Pāpale Lauhala, composed by ʻAina Kekoʻolani Keawe) (Geoge Lanakilakeikiahialiʻi Naʻope Hula ʻAuana Perpetual Trophy)
2. Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi – Nā Kumu ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes – Wailuku, Maui (Mele: Me Ka nani aʻo Kaupō, composed by John Piʻilani Watkins)
3. Hālau Kalaʻakeakauikawēkiu – Kumu Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokalā Victor – Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi (Mele: Laupahoehoe Hula, composed by Mary Kawena Pukui)
4. Hula Hui o Kapunahala – Nā Kumu Hula Carolee Nishi and Robyn Kuraoka (Mele: Nā Aliʻi, composed by Samuel Kuahiwi) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube
5. Hālau Hula ʻO Hokulani – Nā Kumu Leinani De Rego Lauaki and Kehaulani De Rego Kawai (Mele: Nāwiliwili, recorded by George Huddy / Ei Nei) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube

ʻAuana – Kaikamahine

1. Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela – Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook and Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo (Mele: He Lei Aloha No Hilo, recorded by Kalani Peʻa) (Rose Kapulani Joshua Family Hula ʻAuana Perpetual Trophy)
2. Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinaʻala – Kumu Leinaʻala Pavao Jardin – Kalāheo, Kauaʻi (Mele: Punaluʻu Aloha, compsoed by Mary Kawena Pukui)
3. Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka – Kumu Keolalaulani Dalire (Mele: He Inoa No Kawailani, composed by Joseph Henry Halemano, recorded by Walea)
4. Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi – Nā Kumu ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes – Wailuku, Maui (Mele: Lahela Kuʻu Pōkiʻi, composed by Vicky Iʻi Rodrigues and Lovey Lui Conn)
5. Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Mele: Hanohano Wale Nō ʻO Waiohinu)

Kahiko – Keikikāne

1. Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi – Nā Kumu ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes (Mele: Ka Lani Kapu) (Sally Wood Naluai Hula Kahiko Perpetual Trophy) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
2. Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Mele: Ka Lani Kapu) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
3. Hālau Kalaʻakeakauikawēkiu – Kumu Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokalā Victor (Mele: Nou E Ka Lani) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
4. Hula Hui o Kapunahala – Nā Kumu Hula Carolee Nishi and Robyn Kuraoka (Mele: Ka Lani Kapu) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
5. Hālau Hula ʻO Hokulani – Nā Kumu Leinani De Rego Lauaki and Kehaulani De Rego Kawai (Mele: Ka Lani Kapu)

Kahiko – Kaikamahine

1. Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinaʻala – Kumu Leinaʻala Pavao Jardin – Kalāheo, Kauaʻi (Mele: Nou E Ka Lani) (Hoakalei Kamauʻu Hula Kahiko Perpetual Trophy) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
2. Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela – Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook and Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo (Mele: Nou E Ka Lani) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
3. Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi – Nā Kumu ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes (Mele: Nou E Ka Lani) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
4. Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua – Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Mele: Nou E Ka Lani) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
5. Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka – Kumu Nāpua Silva (Mele: Nou E Ka Lani) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.

Hawaiian Language Award

• Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua under the direction of Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Mary Kawena Pukui Hawaiian Language Perpetual Trophy)

Miss Keiki Hula

1. Charly ʻAilana Kuʻuipo Magno, 12 – Kumu Nāpua Silva – Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka (Mele: Wai Hiwahiwa o Mokuhinia, composed by Cody Pueo Pata) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube
2. Moriah Rene Kulia Kewelinaokealoha Leiwehiokamamalu Faapaia Foster, 10 – Nā Kumu ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes – Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi (Mele: Mele o Ke Keʻena Kalaunu, composed by Randie Kamuela Fong) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
3. Naʻukahinano Tutop – Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla – Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua (Mele: Kauʻionālani Medley, composed by The Makaha Sons of Niʻihau / Amy Hānaialiʻi) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
4. Elise Tapuamokihana Yva McKeague – Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin – Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala (Mele: E Ola Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi, composed by Ikaika Blackburn) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
5. Cayla Slagle – Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook and Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo – Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela (Mele: mauna Kahalawai, recorded by Ikaika Blackburn) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.

Master Keiki Hula

1. Noah Piʻimaiwaʻa Andrade – Nā Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla – Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua (Mele: Hoʻoheno Kēia No Beauty, composed by John K Alemida, recorded by The Brothers Cazimero) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
2. Sebastian Liam Soria, 10 – Nā Kumu Lōpaka Igarta DeVera and William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu Sonny Ching – Hālau Nā Mamo o Puʻuanahulu (Mele: Hula o Ka Hui Kaʻa Wai – Fireman’s Hula, composed by Matilda Kauwe) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
3. Maiau Tatsumi Kodani Karratti – Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin – Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala (Mele: Nā ʻOno O Ka ʻĀina, composed by Edith Kanakaʻole) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
4. Kaison Honokeana Kekoʻaokaiʻa Pali, 11 – Nā Kumu ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes – Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi (Mele: Aloha ʻia no ʻo Honolua, composed by Cody Pueo Pata) VIDEO courtesy ʻIolana K / YouTube.
5. Maheʻāina Duke Henoheahoʻolanaakahaku Gabonia Roberts Kauka – Kumu Hula Kaʻilihiwa Vaughan-Darval – Hālau Hula Ka Leu Tuahine (Mele: Honomuni, composed by John Piʻilani Watkins)