Merrie Monarch Results 2016: Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu Wins Title

Merrie Monarch, Photo by Wendy Osher.

The 53rd Annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival has concluded, with Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera taking the overall title.

The hālau had entered both wahine and kāne dancers and also took awards for first place in the kāne overall, first place in kāne ʻauana, third place in kāne kahiko, fourth place in the wahine kahiko, and fifth place in the wahine ʻauana divisions.

The complete results are listed below:

Overall Winner

Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, 1,214

Kāne Overall

• Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, 1,214
• Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani, Kumu Hula Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang, 1,202
• Ke Kai O Kahiki, Kumu Hula Laʻakea Perry, 1,193

Wahine Overall

• Hālau O Ka Ua Kani Lehua, Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho, 1,202
• Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe, Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes, 1,185
• Hālau Manaola, Kumu Hula Nani Lim Yap, 1,181

Kāne Kahiko

• Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani, Kumu Hula Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang, “A Nu‘u Ke Kai Luna O Ka Moku Ola” 607
• Ke Kai O Kahiki, Kumu Hula Laʻakea Perry, “Kaulihilua I Ke Anu O Wai‘ale‘ale” 601
• Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, “He‘eia” 596
• Kawailiʻulā, Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe, “Ke Kaua A Kūkauakahi” 590

Wahine Kahiko

• Hālau O Ka Ua Kani Lehua, Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho, “Honukea: Ka Honu Nui O Moloka‘i” 592
• Hālau Manaola, Kumu Hula Nani Lim Yap, “A Koa‘ekea I Pueohulunui” 586
• Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu & Lono Padilla, “Aia I Waiehu Pua Lokelani” 582
• Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, “A Kona Hema” 579
• Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe, Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes, “Kama’e” 578

Kāne ʻAuana

• Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, “Aia I Ni‘ihau Ku‘u Pāwehe” 618
• Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani, Kumu Hula Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang, “Ku‘u Sweetie” 595
• Ke Kai O Kahiki, Kumu Hula Laʻakea Perry, “Ka Manookalnipō” 592
• Kawailiʻulā, Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe, “Nā Ali‘i / E Mau” 591

Wahine ʻAuana

• Hālau O Ka Ua Kani Lehua, Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho, “Ka Hana Mahikō“ 610
• Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima, Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva, “Leinā‘ala” 608
• Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe, Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes, “Helena” 607
• Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela, Nā Kumu Hula Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo & Kunewa Mook, “Laga Haga” 599
• Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, “Moku O Keawe” 597

Miss Aloha Hula for 2016

• Kaʻiulani Carr of Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua took the title of Miss Aloha Hula with a total of 1,134 points, 11 points ahead of the nearest competitor in the field of 12 soloists.
• Brylyn Noelani Aiwohi of Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala (Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin) first runner up;
• Ecstasy Jetta Laverne Kamakalikolehua Ligon of Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe (Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes) second runner up;
• ʻAulani Kameaʻiʻomakamae Latorre-Holt of Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela (Kumu Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo & Kunewa Mook) third runner up; and
• Kayshlyn Keauliʻimailani Victoria De Sa of Hālau o Ka Ua Kani Lehua (Kumu Johnny Lum Ho) fourth runner up.

Maui hālau competing in this year’s event included: Pukalani Hula Hale – Kumu Hiʻilei Maxwell-Juan – Pukalani & Kahului, Maui (wahine); Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua – Kumu Kamaka Kukona – Waikapū, Maui (wahine); Moana’s Hula Hālau – Kumu Raquel Dudoit – Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi (wahine); Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi – Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes – Wailuku, Maui (kāne and wahine); and Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka – Kumu Nāpua Greig – Kula, Maui (wahine).