#Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi

The entertainment lineup for Nā Kamehameha Commemorative Pāʻū Parade and Hōʻolauleʻa has been released. The Hōʻolauleʻa takes place at the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center following the Pāʻū Parade on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

Kahiko night at the Merrie Monarch Festival featured hula in the ancient style with 27 groups performing Friday night in the annual competition in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. The festival continues tonight with ʻauana or modern hula, followed by results from the 62nd event.

Awards for the 2024 Nā Kamehameha Commemorative Pāʻū Parade and Hoʻolauleʻa were announced during the event on Saturday, June 15. The annual celebration was moved to Central Maui this year due to the fires in Lahaina. Taking home the eventʻs perpetual trophy was the unit representing the island of Kahoʻolawe.

Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Tracie and Keawe Lopes of Oʻahu took the overall title at the 61st Annual Merrie Monarch Festival, in Hilo Hawaiʻi. The men of Mauiʻs Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi took home third place awards for kāne kahiko and ‘auana performances, as well as the festival’s third place overall award for men. In the women’s division, Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka earned a tie for fifth place in the wahine kahiko division.

Kahiko night at the Merrie Monarch Festival featured hula in the ancient style with 29 groups performing Friday night in the annual competition in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. The festival continues tonight with ʻauana or modern hula, followed by results from the 61st event.

Maui has four hālau competing in the 2024 Merrie Monarch Hula Festival, as the event’s competition kicks off this evening at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Tonight’s competition features 13 women vying for the title of Miss Aloha Hula 2024. Maui entrants include: Shayla Angeline Kamalei Ballesteros and Amedée Kauakohemālamalama Conley-Kapoi.

Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes of Oʻahu took the overall title at the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival, in Hilo Hawaiʻi. From Maui, the seven men of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, took first place honors in the kāne kahiko and earned 4th place in the kāne ʻauana division. Their combined effort earned them the Overall Kāne title for the second year in a row. From Maui, the seven men of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes of Wailuku, took first place honors in the kāne kahiko and earned 4th place in the kāne ʻauana division. Their combined effort earned them the Overall Kāne title for the second year in a row.

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.

Rosemary Kaʻimilei Keamoai-Strickland, from Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe under the direction of kumu hula Tracie and Keawe Lopes, took home the 2021 title of Miss Aloha Hula.