2017 Merrie Monarch Winners Announced
Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, under the direction of Nā Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes, won the overall title in the 2017 Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition held in Hilo’s the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium.
The 54th annual event had 23 participating hālau compete over the course of three days in traditional and modern hula performances.
The winning hālau from Pū‘ahu‘ula, Ko‘olaupoko on O‘ahu, was the final group to perform on both Friday and Saturday night. The hālau’s ‘auana (modern) selection was Mauna Lahilahi, a mele paying tribute to Jack Waterhouse, who lived at the location. For their kahiko (traditional) selection, the hālau chose Wai‘oli, a mele that honors Queen Kapi‘olani and her kinship to the Wai‘oli area of Kaua‘i, according to Merrie Monarch Festival information.
Overall:
1st 1168: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes (wahine)
2nd 1163: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV & Lono Padilla (wahine)
3rd 1148: Kawaili‘ulā, Kumu Chinky Māhoe (wahine & kāne)
Wahine Overall:
1st 1,168: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes
2nd 1,163: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV & Lono Padilla
3rd 1,143: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o
Kāne Overall:
1st 1148 Kawaili‘ulā, Kumu Chinky Māhoe
2nd 1133 Hālau I Ka Wēkiu, Nā Kumu Karl Veto Baker & Michael Casupang
3rd 1132 Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi under the direction of Nā Kumu Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes
Wahine Kahiko
1st 590: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV & Lono Padilla
2nd 589: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes
3rd 584: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā‘ala, Kumu Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin
4th 576: Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima, Kumu Māpuana de Silva
5th 575: Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, Kumu Nāpua Greig
Wahine ‘Auana
1st 579: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, Nā Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes
2nd 578: Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, Kumu Ka‘ilihiwa Vaughan-Darval
3rd 573: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV & Lono Padilla
4th 571: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o
5th 566: Hālau Hula O Kauhionāmauna, Kumu Denise Kauhionāmauna Kia Ramento
Kāne Kahiko:
1st 580: Kawaili‘ulā, Kumu Chinky Māhoe
2nd 556: Hālau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani, Kumu Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang
3rd 562: Ke Kai O Kahiki, Kumu La‘akea Perry
4th 558: Kawai‘ulaokalā, Kumu Keli‘iho‘omalu Puchalski
Kane ‘Auana
1st 584: Hālau I Ka Wēkiu, Nā Kumu Karl Veto Baker & Michael Casupang
2nd 581: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes
3rd 568: Kawaili‘ulā, Kumu Chinky Māhoe
4th 567: Ke Kai O Kahiki, Kumu La‘akea Perry
Miss Aloha Hula 2017
1st (1075, 1499, 18.6): Kelina Kiyoko Ke‘ano‘ilehua Tiffany Eldredge of Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua, Nā Kumu Hula Lono Padilla & Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV. (Eldredge also took home the Hawaiian Language Award in the solo competition).
2nd (1075, 1499, 18.4): Julyen Machiko Kaloke
3rd 1024 Chelei Kameleonalani Kahalewai of Kawaili‘ula
4th 1015 Amanda Hiwalei Aliser of Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leina‘ala
5th 1006 Miriam Anuhea Kamakanaokealoha Hokoana Arakawa, of Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka
Judges at this year’s event were: Ainsley Halemanu, Rachel Lahela Ka‘aihue, Pualani Kanaka‘ole Kanahele, Etua Lopes, Pi‘ilani Lua, Keali‘i Reichel and Kalena Silva.
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