Kayli Ka’iulani Carr Wins Miss Aloha Hula

Photo credit: KAPA Hawaiian FM.

Thursday night was a big night for Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua and Kayli Ka’iulani Carr.

Carr won the Miss Aloha Hula competition to open the feature portion of the Merrie Monarch Festival at the Edith Kanaka’ole Multi-Purpose Stadium, accumulating a judges score of 1,134.

It was the first Miss Aloha Hula win for the hālau, which opened its doors in 2008. There are some Big Island roots found in Kumu Robert Ke’ano Ka’upu IV, who was born in Keaukaha and was a student of Rae Fonseca and Johnny Lum Ho. Kumu Lono Padilla was born on Maui but has won awards at the Merrie Monarch Festival under Kumu Hula Holoua Stender.

Carr performed two numbers, “Eō Keōpuolani Kauhiakama” and “Ka Makani Kā’ili Aloha,” each with a tie to the island of Maui.

“It’s been a long journey, but wow, I never expected this to happen,” Carr said on the KFVE television broadcast.

Brylyn Noelani Aiwohi of Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana was the runner-up, just 11 points behind Carr. She also won the Hawaiian Language Award in a tiebreaker.

Competition continues on Friday night with the Group Hula Kahiko, which gets underway at 6 p.m.

Miss Aloha Hula results

First place: Kayli Ka’iulani Carr (Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua) – 1,134 points

Second place: Brylyn Noelani Aiwohi (Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana) – 1,123 points

Third place: Ecstasy Jetta Laverne Kamakalikolehua Ligon (Ka Lā ‘Önohi Mai O Ha’eha’e) – 1,107 points

Fourth place: ‘Aulani Kamea’i’omakamae Latorre-Holt (Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela) – 1,105 points

Fifth place: Kayshlyn Keauli’imailani Victoria De Sa (Hālau o Ka Ua Kani Lehua) – 1,090 points

Hawaiian Language Award: Brylyn Noelani Aiwohi (Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana) – 48 points (tiebreaker won with 67 points)