[MERRIE MONARCH HULA FESTIVAL]

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DENNIS ODA / STAR-BULLETIN
Ka Pa Nani O' Lilinoe of Aiea, instructed by kumu hula
Lilinoe Lindsey, swayed gracefully in last night kahiko's
competition at the Merrie Monarch Festival.

Merrie Monarch
unfazed by rain

The kahiko portion of the festival
is greeted warmly by a crowd
craving dance and food

See also: Island Images

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Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

HILO >> Nanea Oda, a 4-foot-10 student at Kamehameha Schools, wowed the 5,000-plus crowd last night as her 21-member Honolulu halau I Ka Wekiu opened the kahiko, ancient hula, wahine competition at the 38th Merrie Monarch Festival at Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium.

"I was like, kinda nervous, but not as much like other people," said Oda, the youngest dancer in the festival, who was taking part in her first major competition. "Well, I performed hula once in elementary school, so I was comfortable with the audience, but never seen so many people looking at me before.

"I kept thinking about what I was supposed to do and be one with everyone else 'cuz this is a group thing, not just one person."

It was also halau I Ka Wekiu's first Merrie Monarch competition.

DENNIS ODA / STAR-BULLETIN
The kane of Halau Ka Ua Kilihune, coached by
Al Makahinu Barcarse of Oahu, wowed the crowd.

A daylong rain did not dampen the capacity crowd's enthusiasm for dance, local food and souvenirs on the second day of the three-day event.

THE HAWAIIAN PLATE, costing $7, was the most popular entree along with $3 hot dogs, lomi salmon for 75 cents and 50-cent cups of poi.

"Eh, local food always tastes better at Merrie Monarch," said Bernard Fontez, 52, of Hilo as he ate his second Hawaiian plate in an hour. "Now I got to hurry to buy my triple extra-large T-shirt before they run out."

DENNIS ODA / STAR-BULLETIN
The women of Halau I Ka Wekiu, taught by Karl Veto Baker
and Michael Casupang of Honolulu, prepared backstage for the
kahiko portion of the Merrie Monarch competition, their first
time dancing in the hula competition.

Shirts from the popular annual event, featuring a picture of King David Kalakaua and a screen print flower lei around the neck, sell out every year no matter how many are made, said Mokihana Miller, who oversees the festival's clothing sales. "Every year we make more and we still sell out, except last year when we made more triple XLs and people had gone on diets, so we were stuck with lots."

Security was everywhere, provided by about 60 members of the Koa Puna Motorcycle Club who guarded halau dressing areas, backstage access and a muddy parking lot.

DENNIS ODA / STAR-BULLETIN
Halau I Ka Wekiu performing on stage.

"The last couple years, the kids in town have figured out they can make some money breaking into cars," one security guard said. "Any security guy showing up at the festival wearing slippahs gets parking lot duty."

Police reported no car break-ins during this festival.

Meanwhile, inside the stadium, spectator Joan Perkins of Honolulu was enjoying her fifth Merrie Monarch.

DENNIS ODA / STAR-BULLETIN
Johnny Lum Ho's Halau Ka Ua Kani Lehua
took the stage amid applause.

"It's such an incredible tradition," said Perkins, an editor. "It's extraordinary to see indigenous people and the language of Hawaii, the hula."

Thursday night's Miss Aloha Hula title was won by Hilo's Natasha Kamalamalamaokalailokokapu'uwaimehanaokekeikipunahele Oda, no relation to Nanea.

The festival continues tonight with group competition in modern hula.

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KITV-4 has streaming video of
Merrie Monarch competition