DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Keonilei Ku'uwehiokala Kaniaupio Fairbanks danced to the mele "O Ko'u Aloha Ia Oe" last night during the 'auana (modern) portion of the Miss Aloha Hula competition at the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo. Fairbanks, who belongs to Ka Pa Hula O Kauanoe O Wa'ahila under the direction of kumu hula Maelia Lobenstein-Carter, won the competition. CLICK FOR LARGE

Fairbanks named Miss Aloha Hula

The final hula of the night is good enough for Miss Aloha Hula

HILO » With last night's Miss Aloha Hula contest at the Merrie Monarch Festival wide open going into the 'auana (modern) competition, it was the evening's last dancer who took first place.

Combined with Fairbanks' kahiko (ancient) performance to "Lamalama 'o Mamala," she became Miss Aloha Hula 2007.

She also took the $1,000 Hawaiian Language Award.

Dancers who placed second through fifth were separated by a total of 16 points. They were, in order, Aureana Kamali'io'iwalani Tseu of Hula Halau 'O Kamuela, Erica Kau'ionalani Awana of Halau Mohala 'Ilima, Malia Ann Marks of Halau Hula Olana, and Lewalani Duarte of Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa o Laka.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Fairbanks, who belongs to the halau Ka Pa Hula O Kauanoe O Wa'ahila danced during the kahiko (ancient) portion of the competition. CLICK FOR LARGE

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Kumu hula Maelia Lobenstein-Carter, left, congratulated her dancer, Keonilei Ku'uwehiokala Kaniaupio Fairbanks, just after Fairbanks was named Miss Aloha Hula last night at the Merrie Monarch Festival. Below, Fairbanks, who belongs to the halau Ka Pa Hula O Kauanoe O Wa'ahila danced during the kahiko (ancient) portion of the competition. CLICK FOR LARGE

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Amanda Puamohala Weinstein danced last night during the kahiko portion of the Miss Aloha Hula competition at the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo. She belongs to Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani, under the direction of kumu hula Kapu Kinimaka-Alquiza. CLICK FOR LARGE