28th Annual Hula O Nā Keiki Winners

Nadia Kūkahiliokeawepē Nascimento. Photo: courtesy of Zane Mathias and the Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel

Titles for the 28th Annual Hula O Nā Keiki competition were awarded over the weekend at Maui’s only solo hula competition for children.

The 2018 Miss Hula O Na Keiki title went to Nadia Kūkahiliokeawepē Nascimento of Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu under the direction of Lōpaka Igarta DeVera and Sonny Ching.

Established by the staff of Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel in 1990, Hula O Nā Keiki promotes awareness and perpetuates Hawaiian culture through music and dance.  Below is a complete list of the 2018 award recipients:

Nadia Kūkahiliokeawepē Nascimento. Photo: courtesy of Zane Mathias and the Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel

2018 Miss Hula O Nā Keiki
Nadia Kūkahiliokeawepē Nascimento
Kumu – Lōpaka Igarta DeVera and Sonny Ching
Hālau – Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu

Kaikamahine Hula Award

1st Nadia Kūkahiliokeawepē Nascimento
Kumu – Lōpaka Igarta DeVera and Sonny Ching
Hālau – Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu

2nd Karen Miyazaki
Kumu – Yumiko Hara
Hālau – Hālau Kalaʻakeaokeaolani

3rd Shannon Kamalei Purdy
Kumu – Kahulu Maluo
Hālau – Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu

Kaikamahine Inteview Award
Shannon Kamalei Purdy
Kumu – Kahulu Maluo
Hālau – Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu

Kaikamahine Oli and ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i Award

1st Shannon Kamalei Purdy
Kumu – Kahulu Maluo
Hālau – Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu

2nd Madison Kuliʻaikalīhau Kalawaiʻa
Kumu – Uluwehi Guerrero
Hālau – Hālau Hula Kauluokalā

3rd Nadia Kūkahiliokeawepē Nascimento
Kumu – Lōpaka Igarta DeVera and Sonny Ching
Hālau – Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu

Kaikamahine Kahiko Costume & Adornment Award
Shannon Kamalei Purdy
Kumu – Kahulu Maluo
Hālau – Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu

Kaikamahine ‘Auana Costume and Adornment Award
Nadia Kūkahiliokeawepē Nascimento
Kumu – Lōpaka Igarta DeVera and Sonny Ching
Hālau – Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu

Hula Pālua Award
Moses A.K. Niles & Mōhala K.K. Niles
Kumu – Iola Balubar
Hālau – Hālau Hula O Keola Aliʻi o ke Kai

Pālua Costume and Adornment Award
Moses A.K. Niles & Mōhala K.K. Niles
Kumu – Iola Balubar
Hālau – Hālau Hula O Keola Aliʻi o ke Kai

The Music Award
Hālau Kalaʻakeaokeaolani
Kumu – Yumiko Hara
Mele: Mele o ke Keʻena Kalaunu

The Akoni Akana Perpetual Award, identifying the kumu who best demonstrates the value of Poʻokela in preparing for Hula O Nā Keiki, was awarded to Kumu Lorna Lim of Hālau Kawehileimamoikawēkiu ʻO Kohala. Shannon Kamalei Purdy of Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu was the recipient of the Friends of Mokuʻula scholarship, which works to further each individual’s education in Hawaiian culture.

This year’s participating hālau included: Hālau Hula O Keola Aliʻi o ke Kai, Kumu Iola Balubar; Hālau Kalaʻakeaokeaolani, Kumu Yumiko Hara; Hula Hālau O Maluhia, Kumu Junko Yuzawa; Hālau Kawehileimamoikawēkiu ʻO Kohala, Kumu Lorna Lim; Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu, Kumu Kahulu Maluo; Hālau Hula Kauluokalā, Kumu Uluwehi Guerrero; Nā Lei O Kahikilani, Kumu Kahikilani Akana; Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu; Kumu Lōpaka Igarta DeVera and Sonny Ching. The esteemed judges were: Head Judge Hōkūlani Holt; Shane Kamakaokalani Herrod; Kapono‘ai Molitau; Ulalia Woodside; Puamohala Kaholokula.

To complement the children’s hula competition, weekend festivities at the hotel included a Hawaiian Festival of Arts and Crafts featuring local artisans, contributing to cultural awareness for all attendees through demonstrations and workshops. Hula O Nā Keiki concludes with the final day of the Manaola pop-up shop and award-winning Sunday Brunch at The Tiki Terrace.

Though Hula O Nā Keiki has grown exponentially over the years, from a single day affair in 1990 to an entire weekend of Hawaiian arts and music, the objective has remained the same – to educate children in the ways of their Hawaiian ancestors so that the culture and perpetuation of hapa haole music can be carried forward.