Hot time in
Hilo’s Kanaka‘ole
stadium last night
Exciting performances by
By Cynthia Oi
kane and wahine dancers outweighed
the wet, chilly weather
Star BulletinThat it rains in Hilo isn't a revelation. That it rains in Hilo during the Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition isn't one either.
But last night's torrent was heavier than any long-time usher Willy Meyers could remember.
The wetness was exacerbated by the chilly winds that swept through Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium and had hula fans shivering.
"This cold is the worst," Meyers said as dancers and audience members huddled under a tarp outside the stadium.
Perhaps the warmth created by the kahiko competition, however, was enough to make all forget the bad weather.
The kane division dancers created a lot of heat, baring butt and lots of it.The men of kumu hula Al Barcarse's Halau Ka Ua Kilihune, each wrapped in a yard or two of golden yellow cloth, caught lots of attention. But there was more to their attraction: a vigorous display of the martial art of lua, using paddles as their weapons.
Most of the kane dances were testosterone-packed kahiko; one exception was by Hala u Na Kamalei. Kumu hula Robert Cazimero used his wonderful voice to create a chant that ebbed and flowed while his dancers showed that there is grace in strength and vigor.In the wahine division, the aggressive dance by Moana's Hula Halau, telling the story of the long red dog of Molokai, turned up the temperature.
That performance contrasted with the sweet innocence and precision of Mapuana de Silva's Halau Mohala 'Ilima.While no winners in the kahiko competition will be awarded until tonight, William"Sonny" Ching's kane and wahine kept people in the stadium despite the late hour.
The overall winners from 1998 performed last and burned the stage, sending people into the rainy night with some heat to carry them home.
