It's the week after Easter, and it's my favorite time of the year -- as the Merrie Monarch Festival gets underway on the Big Island! I enjoy reporting and anchoring the news, but I also love covering the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival every April. KITV sails to Hilo
Candidates for Miss Aloha Hula
for magic of Merrie
Monarch festivalBy Paula Akana
Special to the Star-BulletinHilo comes alive as thousands of people arrive on Moku O Keawe, the island of Hawai'i. Every hotel and bed and breakfast is full, as the Merrie Monarch Festival is THE place to be this week. Even gymnasiums are used to help house halau.
From craft fairs to lunchtime hula shows to craft fairs, Hilo literally opens its doors to the world. It's time to see old-time friends, classmates and even an aunty or two that you haven't seen since small-kid time.
I feel so fortunate to have been able to cover the festival for KITV for more than a decade. I still feel a sense of awe when the dancers take the stage.
If you can't be in Hilo, I hope our coverage on KITV will give you a taste of this wonderful event. Here's a look at what you can expect to see and what is expected of the halau.
Our programming will begin at 6 p.m. tomorrow with the Miss Aloha Hula competition. Twelve young women, 18 to 25 years old, will compete in both the kahiko (ancient) and 'auana (modern) dance.
Among the contestants this year are the daughters of three kumu hula: Shelsea Lilia Makanoe Lindsey Ai, daughter of Olana and Howard Ai; Lei'ohelo'ulaokalaniopele Hewett, daughter of Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett; and Malia Hi'iakaikawenaokeao Stender, daughter of Holoua Stender.
Each contestant has to oli, or chant. Listen to the different styles of chanting. And listen to the 'olelo Hawai'i, the Hawaiian language. It is beautiful.
Friday and Saturday nights are for the group competitions. Each halau has to have a minimum of five but not more than 35 dancers. All dancers must be at least 13 but not older than 55 as of the date of the competition.
This year, we have a few who have returned after sitting out for a while, including Cissy Kaio and her dancers from Carson, Calif. And after sitting out for 17 years, Puluelo Park brings to Hilo her ladies of the Puamana Hula Studio.
On the air: Live at 6 p.m. today through Saturday on KITV Merrie Monarch Festival
On the Web: Live Webcast at thehawaiichannel.com
Park was a competitor in the very first Merrie Monarch Hula competition nearly 40 years ago.
Tomorrow, we celebrate the hula kahiko. All of the chants performed on this night must have been written prior to or including 1893. Newly composed chants are accepted, but they have to reflect the time period. Look for different hula implements to be used, including the kala'au (wooden sticks) 'uli'uli (feather gourd rattles) and 'ili'ili (water-worn pebbles).
Listen for mele that honor our ali'i: Kalakaua, Kapi'olani, Emma and Liloa, just to name a few.
On Saturday we turn to the hula 'auana. The mele on this night will be from the Kalakaua period to present-day Hawaii, and the musical accompaniment will be by string instruments. Many of Hawaii's most talented musicians come to Hilo to lend their talents to play for the halau. Listen for their harmonies. On this night, expect to see beautiful costumes and flowers. And listen for songs that talk about everything from love stories to na paniola, Hawaii's cowboys. The night wraps up with the awards ceremony.
Throughout tomorrow and Saturday night's shows, TV audiences will see snippets of the previous night's ho'ike presentation, which will include songs and dances from Anchorage, Alaska's Kicaput Eskimo Dancers.
Friends and family outside of Hawai'i can also watch it all, as the KITV Web site (thehawaiichannel.com) will feature a live Webcast.
Last year, we received e-mails from folks in California who were holding Merrie Monarch parties as they watched the Webcast!
It seems that watching the Merrie Monarch Festival from the comfort of your home is the next best thing to being there!
Aloha!
Paula Akana is co-anchor of KITV's 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts,
and has attended the Merrie Monarch Festival for 15 years
as a reporter or emcee.
Note: Diacritical marks originally included in this story were
omitted due to typesetting limitations.
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The candidates for the Merrie Monarch Miss Aloha Hula competition in Hilo, in the order they will dance tonight: Miss Aloha Hula
>> Lehuanani Young, Keali'ika'apunihonua Ke'ena A'O Hula, Honolulu >> Dawn 'Anelalani Lleces, Halau Na Mamo O Ka'ala, Honolulu >> Lei'ohelo'ulaokalaniopele K.K. Hewett, Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka, He'eia, Kaneohe >> Malia Ko'i'ulaokawaolehua, Bird of Puamana Hula Studio, Kailua, Oahu >> Shelsea Lilia Makanoe Lindsey, Ai of Ka Pa Hula O Kamehameha, Kapalama-Uka, Oahu >> Malia Hi'iakaikawenaokeao Stender of Ka Pa Hula O Kamehameha, Kapalama-Uka, Oahu >> Mino'aka Demesillo, Halau Mohala 'Ilima, Ka'ohao, Oahu >> Malia Ann Kawailanamalie Petersen, Hula halau 'O Kamuela, Waimanalo/Kalihi, Oahu >> Nicole Ka'ale'a Riveira, Hula Halau O Lilinoe, Carson City, Calif. >> Shanena Ku'uipookalani Lino, Halau Ke Kia'i A 'O Hula, Honolulu >> Hoku Koga, Halau Keali'i O Nalani, Los Angeles >> Kasie Puahala Kaleohano, Halau Ka Ua Kani Lehua, Hilo
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