Maui hālau hula prepare to compete as Merrie Monarch continues with modifications

Two Maui hālau hula are competing in this year’s Merrie Monarch Festival as the event takes place with modifications in Hilo at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium. Competition is set for April 21-23, 2022.

The Maui hālau include: Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua, under the direction of Kumu Hula Kamaka Kukona from Waikapū; and Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes out of Wailuku, Maui.

The festival honors the legacy of King David Kalākaua, who inspired the perpetuation of hula, traditions, and the arts. The week-long festival kicks off with an invitational Hawaiian arts fair, and continues with hula shows, a three-day hula competition, and a parade through Hilo town.

The event that had been held annually since 1964, but was suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic. That year, festival president Luana Kawelu called off the event weeks before it was to be held in the Spring.

Last year, the event returned with no live audience. This year, there will be a limited audience to include a set amount of tickets for family of hālau members, along with a reduced number of complimentary tickets for longstanding supporters and sponsors of the Festival. Tickets for the general public are not available for sale this year.

“We apologize that we are currently unable to welcome back more of you to experience the Merrie Monarch Festival in person. However, we want to ensure a safe event for our community, kūpuna, participating hālau, staff and volunteers, as well as audience members,” according to a message on the Festival website. “We look forward to the time when we can gather more freely, but until then we will proceed with caution, all the while ensuring that we are able to maintain our mission of supporting and promoting hula and Hawaiian culture.”

Schedule of events:

• Hōʻike Performances: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 – 6 p.m.
• Miss Aloha Hula: Thursday, April 21, 2022 – 6 p.m.
• Hula Kahiko: Friday, April 22, 2022 – 6 p.m. (Hālau hula perform ancient style dances).
• Hula ʻAuana & Awards: Saturday, April 23, 2022 6 p.m. (Hālau hula perform modern style dances, followed by an awards presentation for all group winners).

There are a total of 18 hālau participating (listed below) that will present 17 Wahine and seven Kāne performances in both the Kahiko and ʻAuana categories as well as 10 Miss Aloha Hula entrants.

List of Participating Hālau:

• Kawai‘ulaokalā, Kumu Hula Keliʻihoʻomalu Puchalski (Kaiwiʻula, Oʻahu)
• Keolalaulani Hālau ‘Ōlapa O Laka, Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire (Heʻeia Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Hula Ke ʻOlu Makani O Mauna Loa, Kumu Hula Meleana Manuel (Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi)
• Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes (Pūʻahuʻula, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Hula Lani Ola, Kumu Hula Puanani Jung (Laguna Hills, California)
• Kawaili‘ulā, Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe (Kailua and Mānoa, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera (Kapahulu, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Kala‘akeakauikawēkiu, Kumu Hula Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokalā Victor (Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi)
• Hālau Lilia Makanoe, Kumu Hula Chelsea Lilia Ai (ʻAiea, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Keolakapuokalani, Kumu Hula Drake Keolakapu Dudoit Delaforcé (Āliamanu and Nānākuli, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima, Kumu Hula Māpuana De Silva (Kaʻōhao, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, Kumu Hula Kaʻilihiwa Vaughan-Darval (Mānoa, Oʻahu)
• Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua, Kumu Hula Kamaka Kukona (Waikapū, Maui)
• Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes (Wailuku, Maui)
• Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo (Kalihi and Waimānalo, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV and Lono Padilla (Kalihi Kai, Oʻahu)
• Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leinā‘ala, Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin (Kalāheo, Kauaʻi)
• Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea, Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe (Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu)

TV viewing and streaming available:

Watch the 59th 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 21-23, 2022.

For a weekly listing of Maui music and other events, go to Maui Entertainment, Arts, Community, April 14-20 and click here.