Beloved Dorothy “;Auntie Dottie”; Thompson, was remembered yesterday by family, friends and kumu hula as the driving force in creating the world's greatest hula event.

Thompson, longtime organizer of the annual Merrie Monarch Festival, died Friday night in Hilo. She was 88 years old. Her death comes a couple of weeks away from the start of the 47th hula competition on April 4.

“;She ran the whole show,”; said Thompson's daughter Luana Kawelu. “;She was strong-willed, but fair.”;

At this time, there are no plans for a tribute to Thompson at this year's Merrie Monarch Festival, Kawelu said, because her mother would not have wanted one.

“;She liked to stay in the background,”; Kawelu said.

Big Island Mayor William Kenoi described Thompson as “;a visionary who embodied the heart and soul of the festival and worked passionately and tirelessly for many years to build the Merrie Monarch Festival into the world's premier celebration of Hawaiian culture and hula.”;

Gov. Linda Lingle said, “;The Merrie Monarch Festival will go on this year with heavy hearts, but Auntie Dottie's love and aloha will continue to fill the Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium and our state forever.”;

  Community Mourns for Hula Legend Aunty Dottie

 

The hula community mourns the loss of Aunty Dottie, the cofounder of the Merrie Monarch festival.

 

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The festival was originally started by George Na'ope and Gene Wilhelm, with county support, as a way to generate tourism to Hilo.

Na'ope died in October and will be recognized at this year's festivities.

Thompson stepped in as festival chairwoman in 1968 and set new objectives that replicated the ideas of King David Kalakaua: to gather the best hula dancers from all the islands and invite them to compete, Kawelu said.

The popularity of the event soared after Thompson invited kane, or male, hula dancers to compete in 1976.

Thompson was instrumental in keeping the event in Hilo to maintain its authenticity and made sure ticket prices remained low.

“;Where can you go and get $25 for reserved seats for three nights to see the finest of hula and music?”; asked Kumu Hula O'Brien Eselu of Ke Kai O Kahiki. Eselu described Thompson as a wonderful woman who nurtured him since he first entered the event as a dancer at age 23. “;She's always been good to me,”; said Eselu, now 54.

While there may be no official tribute, Eselu plans to give it his all at this year's Merrie Monarch to honor Thompson. “;I only have wonderful memories of Auntie Dottie. I'm going to give it my utmost because it's her legacy,”; he said.

Thompson was born in Hilo and graduated from McKinley High School in Honolulu. She was an avid golfer and an employee of the Parks and Recreation Department for more than 30 years before she retired. Thompson was to turn 89 in May.

Thompson is also survived by daughter Leinani Andrade; two sons, Ronald Saiki Jr. and Bo Saiki; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Services are pending.