Halau wins overall by single point

Hula Halau 'O Kamuela also repeat as winners in kahiko and 'auana at Merrie Monarch

HILO » At last evening's 45th annual Merrie Monarch Festival, the wahine of Hula Halau 'O Kamuela repeated as winners in the kahiko and 'auana divisions as they did from last year, and the halau scored just a single point more to take overall winner honors.

MULTIMEDIA Saturday night: Hula Auana slideshow. Friday night: Hula Kahiko slideshow. Thursday night: Miss Aloha Hula slideshow

Kumu hula Kau'ionalani Kamana'o and Kunewa Mook's wahine from Oahu performed their winning hula last in the Saturday night competition with a beautifully choreographed "Na Ale O Ni'ihau," honoring the women of that island for the way they fashion the prized Kahelelani shell lei.

In Friday's kahiko contest, they also won with "Aia I Ni'ihau Ku'u Pawehe," once again focusing on the women of Ni'ihau for their skill in making mats of makaloa, a sage plant.

Sonny Ching brought his kane and wahine back to the Merrie Monarch competition after a two-year absence, and it was a strong return with his women coming in second overall, and his men taking top honors, thanks to an 'auana victory with "Heha Waipi'o," a mele about a woman who defiantly lived with her half-Spanish lover, and in kahiko, "Ka Wa'a O Kamohoali'i," telling of an epic journey of Pele and her family, which ultimately ended on the Big Island.

Earlier last night at the Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium, the audience rose to give a standing ovation to executive director Aunty Dotty Thompson, who made a rare in-person appearance, after the prompting of her daughter and festival president Luana Kawelu.

Thompson didn't appear at last year's festival, and there was talk that she wouldn't show up this year.

This year's Merrie Monarch has been distinguished for its particularly strong competition amongst the men, especially with the participation of three premiere kane halau -- Ching's Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu, the equally long-awaited return of O'Brian Eselu's Ke Kai O Kahiki, and Chinky Mahoe's Kawaili'ula.

Kapalama's Halau Ke Kia'i O Hula and kumu Kapi'olani Ha'o also turned in a fine kane performance in Friday's kahiko, or ancient, hula competition. Before they took the stage last night to dance the kolohe "Lei Onona," they honored ailing hula director Uncle George Naope with a chant and lei.

Calling themselves the Men of Ka Hanu Lehua, kumu Carlson Kamaka Kukona III of Kahului, Maui, danced with ipu on Friday night "Hanohano Waimea I Ka Wai Kea," a mele composed in honor of Queen Kapi'olani that urges the perpetuation of the Hawaiian race through having children.

A couple of Oahu halau made their debuts in the Merrie Monarch. Kumu Karla Kahikinaokalalani Kel'iho'omalu-Akiona, whose daughter-in-law dances for her and was a former employee of Aloha Airlines, rallied her halau with two contrasting performances.

Last night, Na Mea Hula O Kahikinaokalalani, resplendent in red and with yellow lei around their heads, necks and wrists, the wahine paid loving tribute to Akiona's homeland of Kalapana in "Holei." On Friday, they wielded sticks in a bold and kinetic mele about Pele, "Ke Ha'a La Puna I Ke Ahi 'Ena'ena," that captivated the audience with its drama.

Kumu Greg Lontayao came from Hawaii Kai with Halau Kawaihoa. His wahine came on early last evening with one of the loveliest looks of the 'auana contest. Dressed in nature green gowns, with garlands of flowers in their pinned-up hair and what looked like dyed purple tuberose lei, his wahine danced to a haunting mele of love in "Nani Kaua'i."

The first half of last night's competition ended on a joyful note with the kane of Oakland's Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu's Academy of Hawaiian Arts, which came in fourth in the kane 'auana division last year.

Honoring the famous mountains of the Big Island with their dance "Hawai'i No E Ka Oi," the smiling men bounced and shivered with cold, and flew and crowed like roosters to the delight and yells of the audience.

This year Los Angeles' Halau Keali'i O Nalani under kumu Keali'i Ceballos was the lone non-Hawaii halau to place -- taking fourth in the kane kahiko competition.

The Results

Overall Winner: Hula Halau 'O Kamuela (kumu hula Kau'ionalani Kamana'o and Kunewa Mook)

Wahine Overall

1. Hula Halau 'O Kamuela - 1,205 pts.
2. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu (kumu hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunu'u Sonny Ching) - 1,192 pts.
3. Halau Hula Olana (kumu hula Howard and Olana Ai) - 1,177 pts.

Kane Overall

1. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu - 1,204 pts.
2. Ke Kai O Kahiki (kumu hula O'Brian Eselu) - 1,196 pts.
3. Kawaili'ula (kumu hula Chinky Mahoe) - 1,172 pts.

Wahine 'Auana

1. Hula Halau 'O Kamuela - 608 pts.
2. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu - 602 pts.
3. Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La (kumu hula Kaleo Trinidad) - 594 pts.
4. Halau Hula Olana - 592 pts.
5. Halau Mohala 'Ilima (kumu hula Mapuana de Silva) - 591 pts.

Kane 'Auana

1. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu - 610 pts.
2. Ke Kai O Kahiki - 603 pts.
3. Kawaili'ula - 586 pts.
4. Halau Ke Kia'i A O Hula (kumu hula Kapi'olani Ha'o) - 567 pts.

Wahine Kahiko:

1. Hula Halau O Kamuela - 597 pts.
2. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu - 590 pts.
3. Halau Hula Olana - 585 pts.
4. Ka Pa Hula O Kauanoe O Wa'ahila (kumu hula Maelia Loebenstein Carter) - 584 pts.
5. Halau Mohala 'Ilima - 580 pts.

Kane Kahiko

1. Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu - 594 pts.
2. Ke Kai O Kahiki - 593 pts.
3. Kawaili'ula - 586 pts.
4. Halau Keali'i O Nalani (kumu hula Keali'i Ceballos) - 559 pts.

CORRECTION Monday, April 7, 2008 The names of the dancers from Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela at this year's Merrie Monarch Festival pictured Sunday, April 6, are, from left with the back of her head showing, Diamond Colello, Kristen Yamamoto, Kristen Nakamoto and Melody Yim. Originally, they were misidentified in the caption at the top of this page.