O‘ahu hālau captures overall win in 61st annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival

Once again, O‘ahu hālau Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha’e were named the overall winners by judges at the 61st Merrie Monarch Hula Competition, which concluded in Hilo at the Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium Saturday night.

The hālau’s score was 1,201. This is the group’s second overall win two years in a row.

Second place overall went to Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala, under the direction of Kumu Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin, from Kalāheo, Kaua‘i, with a score of 1,199 points.

Third place overall went to Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela, under the direction of Kumu Kunewa Mook and Kau‘ionālani Kamana’o, from Kalihi and Waimānalo, O‘ahu, with a score of 1,195 points.

On Friday, wahine and kāne took to the stage to perform hula kahiko.

Kāne kahiko winners are:

• First: Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua, under the direction of Kumu Robert Keano Ka‘upu IV and Lono Padilla, from Niuhelewai, Kona, O‘ahu, with a score of 590 points.

• Second: Hālau Na Mamo O Pu’uanahulu, under the direction of Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, from Kapahulu, O’ahu, with 586 points.

• Third: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha’e with 563 points.

Wahine kahiko winners are:

• First: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela with 597 points.

• Second: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala with 594 points.

• Third: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha’e with 591 points.

• Fourth: Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, under the direction of Kumu Ka‘ilihiwa Vaughan-Darval, from Mānoa and Waimānalo, O‘ahu, with 585 points.

Two hālau tied for fifth with 582 points: Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima, under the direction of Kumu Māpuana de Silva, from Ka‘ohaō, O‘ahu, and Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, under the direction of Kumu Napua Silva, from Waiohuli, Maui.

Kāne ‘auana winners are as follows:

Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua and Hālau Na Mamo O Pu’uanahulu were tied for first with 604 points. In a tiebreaker, Hālau Na Mamo O Pu’uanahulu came out on top with 845 points over the other group, by two points more.

• Third: Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi, under the direction of Kumu Haunani & ‘liahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with 597 points.

• Fourth: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha’e with 563 points.

Wahine ‘auana winners are as follows:

• First: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha’e with 610 points.

• Second: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala with 605 points.

• Third: Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima with 600 points.

• Fourth: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela with 598 points.

• Fifth: Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine with 597 points.

The overall kāne awards are as follows:

• First: Hālau Hi’iakaināmakalehua, under the direction of Kumu Robert Keano Ka‘upu IV and Lono Padilla, from Niuhelewai, Kona, O‘ahu, with a score of 1,194 points.

• Second: Hālau Na Mamo O Pu’uanahulu, under the direction of Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, from Kapahulu, O’ahu, with 1,190 points.

• Third: Hālau Kekuaokalā’au’ala’iliahi, under the direction of Kumu Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with a score of 1,197.

The overall wahine awards are as follows:

• First: Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha’e with 1,201 points.

• Second: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala with 1,199 points.

• Third: Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela with 1,195 points.