Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi takes second in Keiki Kāne group hula competitions, wins Hawaiian language award
The young men of Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, under the direction of Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes, dance in the hula ʻauana group competition during the 51st Annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival. PC: Hawaiian Council- The young men of Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, under the direction of Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes, dance in the hula ʻauana group competition during the 51st Annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival. PC: Hawaiian Council
- The young men of Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, under the direction of Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes, dance in the hula ʻauana group competition during the 51st Annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival. PC: Hawaiian Council
- The young men of Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, under the direction of Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes, dance in the hula ʻauana group competition during the 51st Annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival. PC: Hawaiian Council
- The young men of Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, under the direction of Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes, dance in the hula ʻauana group competition during the 51st Annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival. PC: Hawaiian Council
Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, under the direction of Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes, took second place in both the Keiki Kāne hula kahiko and hula ʻauana group competitions during the 51st Annual Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival. The hālau also won the Hawaiian language award.
The Maui hālau’s group placements follow individual honors earlier in the week, when Kiliʻohu Kahualauleʻa Celebrado, also a student of Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes, was crowned 2026 Miss Keiki Hula, and hālau member Logan Stephen Taulaʻi Crowell took second in the Master Keiki Hula competition.
The invitation-only competition, now under the stewardship of the Hawaiian Council, brought together 15 hālau from across Hawaiʻi for three days of competition celebrating the next generation of hula practitioners. The event was presented by Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts and Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center. Throughout the weekend, keiki ages 6 to 12 took the stage to demonstrate the skill, preparation and cultural knowledge passed down through their kumu hula. The competition honored the legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani while recognizing the dedication of young haumāna, their families and their hālau.
“After a week celebrating Hawaiian culture, leadership and community through the Native Hawaiian Convention and the Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival, we leave inspired by what we’ve witnessed on this stage,” said Kūhiō Lewis, chief executive officer of the Hawaiian Council. “These performances reflect countless hours of preparation, the unwavering commitment of our kumu hula and the support of families who continue to invest in our keiki. We congratulate every hālau that participated and our award winners for carrying forward the legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani through hula.”
2026 AWARD WINNERS
HULA KAHIKO – KAIKAMĀHINE
| Place | Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| 1st | Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua (O‘ahu) | Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV |
| 2nd | Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka (O‘ahu) | Keolalaulani Dalire |
| 3rd | Hālau Hula o Kamuela (O‘ahu) | Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo and Kunewa Mook |
HULA KAHIKO – KEIKI KĀNE
| Place | Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| 1st | Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua (O‘ahu) | Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV |
| 2nd | Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi (Maui) | Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes |
| 3rd | Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua (Maui) | Kamaka Kukona |
HULA ʻAUANA – KAIKAMĀHINE
| Place | Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| 1st | Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua (O‘ahu) | Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV |
| 2nd | Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka (O‘ahu) | Keolalaulani Dalire |
| 3rd | Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai o Ha‘eha‘e (O‘ahu) | Tracie & Keawe Lopes |
HULA ʻAUANA – KEIKI KĀNE
| Place | Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| 1st | Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua (O‘ahu) | Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV |
| 2nd | Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi (Maui) | Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes |
| 3rd | Hālau Hula ‘o Nāpunaheleonāpua (O‘ahu) | Rich Pedrina and Blaine Nohara |
HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE AWARD
| Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi (Maui) | Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes |
2026 OVERALL WINNERS
OVERALL KAIKAMĀHINE
| Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua (O‘ahu) | Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV |
OVERALL KEIKI KĀNE
| Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua (O‘ahu) | Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV |
OVERALL KEIKI HULA WINNER
| Hālau (Island) | Kumu Hula |
| Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua (O‘ahu) | Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV |
On Thursday evening, 2026 Miss Keiki Hula and 2026 Master Keiki Hula were presented to the following:
2026 MISS KEIKI HULA RESULTS
1st Place: Kiliʻohu Kahualauleʻa Celebrado (Maui); Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi; Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes
2nd Place: Aliyah Keaohiwahiwaokalewalani Raymond (Oʻahu); Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka; Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire
3rd Place: Leianaikamalukoa Hiʻipoiikapoliokilohana Kuaulu Cuban (Oʻahu); Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua; Kumu Hula Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV
2026 MASTER KEIKI HULA RESULTS
1st Place: Jahnathan Lāhiki Bareng (Oʻahu); Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua; Kumu Hula Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV
2nd Place: Logan Stephen Taulaʻi Crowell (Maui); Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi; Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes
3rd Place: Kawelokūleʻa Nuikamahaʻo Kekipi-Aurio (Oʻahu); Hālau Hula ʻO Nāpunaheleonāpua; Kumu Hula Rich Pedrina and Blaine Nohara
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