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Hula Kahiko

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Merrie Monarch Stories

Merrie Monarch Miss Aloha Hula

‘There’s no do-overs’: Here’s what it takes to win prestigious Miss Aloha Hula title

Updated: Apr. 17, 2023 at 10:21 AM HST
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By Lacy Deniz
Running for the coveted title of Miss Aloha Hula is not for the faint of heart.
Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown - Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe - Tracie &...

Meet Miss Aloha Hula 2023: Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Brown

Updated: Apr. 17, 2023 at 10:20 AM HST
|
By Lacy Deniz
Brown was among 12 contestants vying for the prestigious title on Thursday night in Hilo.
Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Oahu halau clinches top honors at Merrie Monarch Festival. Relive all their 2023 performances here

Updated: Apr. 16, 2023 at 4:50 PM HST
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By HNN Staff
The win was the culmination of stunning hula performances in the kahiko and ‘auana competitions.
Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

PHOTOS: Hula ‘Auana Night at the 2023 Merrie Monarch Festival

Updated: Apr. 16, 2023 at 12:35 AM HST
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By HNN Staff
The 2023 Merrie Monarch Festival wrapped up in Hilo on Saturday with the Hula ‘Auana competition.
Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela - Wahine (2023 Hula Kahiko)

You can watch the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hawaiian. Here’s how

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 4:47 PM HST
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By HNN Staff
Get ready for the biggest hula competition on Earth!
Kawaili’ulā (Kāne) - Chinky Māhoe - Photo by Bruce Omori

TONIGHT: Final night of the Merrie Monarch Festival features Hula ‘Auana competition

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 4:41 PM HST
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By HNN Staff
Get ready for the biggest hula competition on Earth!
Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala - Wahine (2023 Hula Kahiko)

VIDEO GALLERY: Hula Kahiko group performances at the Merrie Monarch Festival

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 7:33 AM HST
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By HNN Staff
Friday marked the first day of group competition at the Merrie Monarch Festival as halau took the stage in Hilo for the Hula Kahiko competition.
Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown (2023 Miss Aloha Hula ‘Auana)

WATCH: Here’s a look at all the performances from the 2023 Miss Aloha Hula competition

Updated: Apr. 14, 2023 at 4:38 PM HST
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By HNN Staff
Twelve contestants participated in this year’s Miss Aloha Hula competition at the Merrie Monarch Festival.
SOTR Merrie Monarch 2023

VIDEO PLAYLIST: Sunrise goes ‘On the Road’ to Hilo for Merrie Monarch 2023

Updated: Apr. 14, 2023 at 5:58 AM HST
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By HNN Staff
We'll be highlighting Merrie Monarch, and exploring food, fashion and local issues happening in the community on Hawaii Island.
Nakeu Awai in his Kalihi design studio.

The ‘grandfather of Hawaii fashion’ proves that classic design is never out of style

Updated: Apr. 13, 2023 at 3:45 PM HST
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By Mahealani Richardson
“Most of the people that come back say my mother had or my grandmother had."

Latest Merrie Monarch Videos

Merrie Monarch Videos

60th Merrie Monarch Festival Royal Parade

Updated: Apr. 26, 2023 at 2:32 AM HST
Join McKenna Maduli and Lacy Deniz as we bring you all the sights, sounds and fun from the 60th Merrie Monarch Festival Royal Parade in downtown Hilo.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Interisland steamship travel was depended upon for transporting passengers and cargo to ports on neighbor islands. In 1879, Wilder Steamship Company added the Lehua to its fleet. This mele describes Maui’s notable places seen from her deck–the windward cliffs, Keʻanae and the bays of Piʻilani.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Composed by Hula Master Johnny Lum Ho, this mele describes how the talented paniolo of Waimea skillfully mount wild bulls and ride bucking broncos until they break. Waimea cowboys show you how to lasso and tie the pipi keiki in record time. Hang onto your saddles as we take you to the rodeo of Waimea. UIHA!!!

Merrie Monarch Videos

60th Merrie Monarch Festival Final Awards

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
60th Merrie Monarch Festival Hula ʻAuana

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Keolakapuokalani - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Keolakapuokalani - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
This is a kolohe or playful song that uses the ʻiʻiwi bird to seek out the best nectar of the lehua flowers, but he is unable to dally too long in one place. There is also a fisherman, who seeks the “kole maka onaona,” that “sweet-eyed fish” that got away.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau o ka Hanu Lehua - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Court dancer Emalia Kaihumua spent time away from Hawaiʻi while entertaining on the mainland. She deeply missed the peacefulness and beauty of the Islands. The pinching cold and fog abroad are compared to a lover; however, as her only source of warmth was a fireplace, she is urged to return home.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
This is a mele composed for the founders, guardians, and caretakers of Ulupō Nui. The name was given by Kailua’s current generation of poʻe aloha ʻāina to the newly restored lands that extend from Ulupō heiau to the banks of the once-and-future fishpond of Kawainui.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Kiawekūpono O Ka Ua - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Kiawekūpono O Ka Ua - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
“Holoholo Wes’side” celebrates the landmarks along the Waiʻanae coast from Kalaeloa to Kaʻena. “Ka ʻIlima” is a tribute to Nettie Tiffany who resides at Lanikūhonua, ʻEwa, Oʻahu. “Kamokila” was written for Kamokilakawai Campbell who named Lanikūhonua, the breathtaking place, where “... heaven touches the earth.”

Merrie Monarch Videos

Keʻala ʻO Kamailelauliʻiliʻi - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Keʻala ʻO Kamailelauliʻiliʻi - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
“He Mele No Waimea” showcases different places of note in and around Waimea, Kauaʻi. “Nohili Ē draws from nature to express the beauty of love. “(This feeling) is unfamiliar to me, this love that is happening.” The hālau’s entire performance tonight honors the island of Kauaʻi.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
The characteristic features of Koʻolaupoko on the island of Oʻahu are beautifully described in this 1930s mele. The song commemorates the arrival of electricity in Kāneʻohe, the installation of the telegraph wire and the broken beds of coral at Heʻeia. There is a hint of a delightful love affair.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Hula master Antone Kaʻōʻō, was called upon suddenly to perform for Queen Liliʻuokalani. He recalled an older mele entitled “He Inoa No Kīnaʻu” for inspiration. Kaʻōʻō renamed his version “Liliʻu Ē” and rededicated it to Liliʻuokalani. Often done as a hula kahiko, the wāhine instead choose to revisit this classic as a hula ʻauana.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
This is a composition by “Hawaiʻi’s Song Bird” Lena Machado. She penned this mele sometime in the 1930s, and it was originally recorded with Dick McIntire’s Harmony Hawaiians under the title “Hoʻoipo Hula.” The puana of the mele states “You and I are in the beauties of the Koʻolau, in the adorning of the Pōʻaihale rain.”

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Kalaʻakeakauikawēkiu - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Kalaʻakeakauikawēkiu - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Taupōuri Tangarō honors the ʻohana Pai in this composition. He commemorates their long struggles with the Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park as they faced eviction from the land on which they resided since the 1700s. Taupōuri witnessed cultural protocols and felt their aloha.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Hula Kauluokalā - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Hula Kauluokalā - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
“Lei Lokelani” was composed in 1922 by Charles E. King while traveling aboard the SS Maui. This mele was dedicated to “Girlie” Hart (Robinson) who later became a Republican senator from Oʻahu in the Hawaiʻi Territorial Legislature. The beauty of the hālau’s homeland, Maui, along with the lovely lokelani blossoms are extolled in these lyrics.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
In this playful mele, the message is not to quickly judge what you see and hear because there might be another interpretation. This song composed by Kekuhi Kanahele is filled with kaona, double meanings, and it will surely bring a smile to those who understand. The dancers will exit the stage with Aunty Edith Kanakaʻole’s beloved mele “Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai.”

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Lilia Makanoe - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Lilia Makanoe - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Waipiʻo Valley on the island of Hawaiʻi is storied as the home of an ancient line of chiefs. It is recognized today for the acres of wetland taro cultivated by generations of farmers in the valley. In tribute to Waipiʻo, Kainani Kahaunaele composed this mele with aloha for the quiet beauty and majesty of this place.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Composed by renowned musician Bina Mossman, this mele honors a loved one who is likened to the special lei adorning her shoulders. The sweet fragrance of the lei embraces both lovers tightly. The memory of this beloved lei shall forever be cherished. “My story is for you my beloved lei – With me you shall forever be!”

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
John K. Almeida’s composition honors the 1946 Lei Queen, Poʻomaikelani Kawānanakoa. It also celebrates the simple pleasure of wearing a lei of festive, softly scented plumeria. Whether worn or given away, a plumeria lei is a special part of Island life.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Emma Farden Sharpe, Maui’s beloved kumu hula and musician, composed this mele for ʻUlupalakua Ranch. She was asked to entertain but finding she had no song to praise the place, decided to compose this fun-loving mele on her way up to the ranch that evening. Her mele captures the beauty of the land and the expertise of ʻUlupalakua’s paniolo.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Kumu Hula Nāpua Greig pays tribute to her kumu, Uncle Johnny Lum Ho. This mele recalls the many uses that are derived from the hala tree. The fruit of the tree can be made into a fragrant lei and the lauhala (hala leaves) are woven into beautiful hats, mats, fans and other treasured items.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
This mele was composed by Hiapokeikikāne K. Perreira after listening to the many stories that Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho shared with him. The mele is also affectionately known as “He Mele No UJ.” The song recalls Kumu Johnny’s ʻāina hānau, Kapaʻahu, his upbringing in Keaukaha, his love for Hilo and his unwavering faith in ke Akua.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
In 1916, Vicki Iʻi Rodrigues’s grandmother, Katie Stevens Iʻi, composed this timeless mele. The mākāhala blossom is compared to a lover. “Come, let us pass the time away, in a close relationship.” Though there are many flowers, there is only one mākāhala that surpasses all and becomes my special someone.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
It was always enjoyable watching Kawai Cockett and his mother “Mama Mahuiki” sing and gesture to “Nā ʻOno O Ka ʻĀina,” a lively song filled with kaona. The different ways of preparing the many types of fish are recalled, along with the kaʻukama kai, the sea cucumber. “Pāpaʻi Hula” documents the ways of catching and preparing delicious crabs found on Kalaʻau, Molokaʻi.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
First published in 1917, this renowned Kauaʻi classic is credited to prolific composer Charles E. King. The melody is so well-loved that listeners can’t help but reminisce and often feel inspired to get up and hula. The lyrics suggest a romantic encounter on a swinging bridge in Hanalei Valley on a moonlit night.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Hula O Kauhionāmauna - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Hula O Kauhionāmauna - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
The musical talents and skills of Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku II are recognized and honored in his “Adios Ke Aloha.” This mele describes an unreciprocated love wherein he poses the question, “Āhea ʻoe e hoʻolono mai? When will you hear my gentle plea?”

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Nā Mamo O Puʻuanahulu - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Papakōlea is known for its residential Hawaiian community that is clearly visible above Makiki. In addition to describing its physical landmarks and characteristics, the mele also suggests a lasting bond between lovers. The magnolia flower symbolizes a teasing sweetheart who inspired this mele.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Kawaiʻulaokalā - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Kawaiʻulaokalā - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Two prolific composers, Aunty Alice Namakelua and Lena Machado are honored in this kolohe presentation. Aunty Alice’s song “ʻAʻole Lā” teases a sweetheart, while Lena Machado’s “Kauoha Mai” in the kaʻi and hoʻi reveals what takes place behind locked doors.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani - Kāne (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Hawaiʻi Island has three mountains of note: Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Hualālai. In this mele, Mauna Kea stands majestically, Mauna Loa holds the sacred woman Pele in its bosom and Hualālai is so beautiful in the calm. Yes, “Hawaiʻi Nō E Ka ʻOi. Hawaiʻi indeed is the best.”

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
The late Kumu Hula Sam Naeʻole composed this mele for the Waimānalo community. The Makapuʻu cliffs, the whispering seas and surrounding mountains add to the beauty and enjoyment of residents. Famous indeed is Waimānalo for its families placed on Hawaiian homesteads–full of love and happiness.

Merrie Monarch Videos

Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela - Wahine (2023 Hula ‘Auana)

Updated: Apr. 15, 2023 at 2:24 PM HST
Hilo has been the home of the Merrie Monarch Festival for 60 years. Three mele in tonight’s performance showcase all of Hilo’s best and most memorable traits. Composers John Piʻilani Watkins, Kehau Tamure and Lena Machado put into lyrics and melody their love and appreciation for this fair harbor city.
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