Kaua‘i hālau wins big at Merrie Monarch Hula Festival on Big Island

The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival concluded Saturday at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo with ‘auana (modern hula) performances from 20 hālau across the state of Hawai‘i and California.

Hālau have spent the past three nights showcasing their art in kahiko (ancient) and ‘auana (modern) hula numbers.

This year, the overall festival winner was Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela under the direction of Kumu Kunewa Mook and Kau’ionalani Kamana’o with 1,216 points. The O’ahu-based group dominated in both ancient and modern hula performances, taking first in kahiko and second in ‘auana.

Just two points behind, Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala, under the direction of Kumu Leinā’ala Pavao Jardin, secured the second-place slot with 1,213 points. The Kaua’i-based group also took home the Miss Aloha Hula title with their soloist Jaedyn Janae Puahaulani Pavao on Thursday night.

In their last year competing at the Merrie Monarch Festival, the kāne of Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua, under the direction of Kumu Hula Robert Cazimero, took first place in both kahiko and ‘auana. 

Cazimero’s hālau also took third place as the overall festival winner.

Overall festival winners

• 1st: Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela with 1216 points
• 2nd: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala with 1213 points
• 3rd Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua with 1205 points

Overall Wāhine winners

• 1st: Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela with 1,216 points
• 2nd: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala with 1,213 points
• 3rd place: Hãlau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine with 1,191 points

Overall Kāne winners

• 1st: Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua with 1,205 points
• 2nd: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua with 1,187 points
• 3rd: Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi with 1,184 points

See below for division winners.

Wāhine kahiko winners

• 1st: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela with 605 points
• 2nd: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala with 598 points
• 3rd: Hãlau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine with 594 points
• 4th: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua with 593 points
• 5th: Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi with 581 points

Wāhine ‘auana winners

• 1st: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala with 615 points
• 2nd: Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela with 611 points
• 3rd: Hālau Hula O Kauhionāmauna with 600 points
• 4th: Hãlau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine with 597 points
• 5th: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua with 597 points

Kāne kahiko winners

• 1st: Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua with 596 points
• 2nd: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua with 591 points
• 3rd: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi with 587 points

Kāne ʻauana winners

• 1st: Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua with 609 points
• 2nd: Kawaiʻulaokalā with 601 points
• 3rd: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi with 597 points
• 4th: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua with 596 points

While hula ʻauana brings just as large a crowd as hula kahiko, the excitement is met with more ease and elegance. On Saturday, audiences took in the soft, graceful movements from wāhine and kāne as they danced to mele.

All senses are affected by hula ʻauana as the fragrances from the lei on dancers and spectators fill the air in Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium. 

First-time attendee Nalani, who declined to give her last name, was happy to hear familiar songs coming from the live musicians during each performance as it reminded her of times in hālau as a keiki. 

“Crowds often induce anxiety, but the smell of the lei and flowers everywhere puts my mind at ease better than anything else,” Nalani said. “After watching Merrie Monarch on TV for years, seeing hula ʻauana in person makes me appreciate it much more.”

As the night progressed, cheers for hālau grew louder with the biggest crowd reaction coming after Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela performed a fast-paced hula ʻauana with puʻili (bamboo sticks that make rattling sounds). The wāhine dove into a cheekier subject matter, too, as the mele, Kūwili, dove into the subject of Honolulu’s Red Light District.

The biggest cheers seemingly came from hula ʻauana that involved themes that audiences could see in front of them on stage. While the Kawaiʻulaokalā kāne danced to a mele about the changing of seasons and the season of Lono, the audience felt as if they were celebrating Makahiki alongside them.

“In my opinion, the best hula ʻauana are the ones that pull you in and keep you present in a moment in time or take you back in time to a specific moment growing up as a keiki in Hawaiʻi,” Nalani said. “There is a lot of comfort in ʻauana.”