Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka Wins Overall 2018 Merrie Monarch Title

The 2018 Merrie Monarch hula competition’s Group Hula ʻAuana and awards ceremony were held on Saturday, April 7, 2018, at 6 p.m. in the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo on Hawai‘i Island, where hālau hula performed modern style dances.

Twenty-four hālau competed over the course of three days in traditional and modern hula performances.

Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka performs Nā Mele Kaulana No Maui. PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

Maui’s Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka, under the direction of Kumu Nāpua Greig, won the overall title at the 55th annual competition. The women took the overall festival title, overall wahine title, first place in the wahine ʻauana division and second place in the wahine kahiko division.

The night before, Shalia Kapuau‘ionalani Kikuyo Kamakaokalani of Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka took the title of Miss Aloha Hula 2018.

The winning hālau from Waiohui, Maui, took the stage on kahiko night with Ke Ahi A Lonomakua, derived from the love story of Pelehonuamea and the pig god Kamapuaʻa. Their modern hula celebrated the island home of Maui with Nā Mele Kaulana No Maui.

Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi dancing their ‘auana selection to Old Plantation. PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua performs Pōlehoonālani. PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

The men of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi perform Kaʻū Nui. PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

The men of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

The men of Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

PC: Merrie Monarch Festival

The awards for all group winners were as follows:

Wahine Kahiko

1st Place
Hālau: Hi‘iakainamakalehua
Kumu: Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV & Lono Padilla
Score: 600 points

2nd Place
Hālau: Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka
Kumu: Napua Greg
Score: 596 points

3rd Place
Hālau: Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina’ala
Kumu: Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin
Score: 592 points

4th Place
Hālau: Mohala ‘Ilima
Kumu: Mapuana de Silva
Score: 583 points

5th Place
Hālau: Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela
Kumu: Ka‘’ionalani Kamana‘o & Kunewa Mook
Score: 582 points

Kane Kahiko

1st Place
Hālau: Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La
Kumu: Kaleo Trinidad
Score: 594 points

2nd Place
Hālau: Kekuaokala‘au‘ala‘iliahi
Kumu: Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes
Score: 590 points

3rd Place
Hālau: Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu
Kumu: William Kahakuleilehua Haunu’u “Sonny” Ching & Lopaka Igarta-De Vera
Score: 586 points

4th Place
Hālau: I Ka Wekiu
Kumu: Karl Veto Baker & Michael Lanakila Casupang
Score: 585 points

Wahine ‘Auana

1st Place
Hālau: Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka
Kumu: Napua Greg
Score: 604 points

2nd Place
Hālau: Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina‘ala
Kumu: Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin
Score: 596 points

3rd Place
Hālau: Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela
Kumu: Kau‘ionalani Kamana‘o & Kunewa Mook
Score: 593 points

4th Place
Hālau: O Ka Hanu Lehua
Kumu: Kamaka Kukona
Score: 589 points

5th Place
Hālau: I Ka Wekiu
Kumu: Karl Veto Baker & Michael Lanakila Casupang
Score: 586 points

Kane ‘Auana

1st Place
Hālau: Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La
Kumu: Kaleo Trinidad
Score: 604 points

2nd Place
Hālau: Kekuaokala‘au‘ala‘iliahi
Kumu: Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes
Score: 584 points

3rd Place
Hālau: Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu
Kumu: William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching & Lopaka Igarta-De Vera
Score: 583 points

4th Place
Hālau: I Ka Wekiu
Kumu: Karl Veto Baker & Michael Lanakila Casupang
Score: 582 points

Wahine Overall

1st Place
Hālau: Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka
Kumu: Napua Greg
Score: 1,200 points

2nd Place
Hālau: Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina’ala
Kumu: Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin
Score: 1,188 points

3rd Place
Hālau: Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela
Kumu: Kau‘ionalani Kamana’o & Kunewa Mook
Score: 1,175 points
Tie Breaker: 1,633

3rd Place
Halau: Hi‘iakainamakalehua
Kumu: Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV & Lono Padilla
Score: 1,175 points
Tie Breaker: 1,633

Kane Overall

1st Place
Hālau: Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La
Kumu: Kaleo Trinidad
Score: 1,198 points

2nd Place
Hālau: Kekuaokala‘au‘ala‘iliahi
Kumu: Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes
Score: 1,174 points

3rd Place
Hālau: Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu
Kumu: William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching & Lopaka Igarta-De Vera
Score: 1,169 points

Overall Winner

1st Place –
Halau: Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka
Kumu: Napua Greg
Score: 1,200 points

2nd Place
Hālau: Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La
Kumu: Kaleo Trinidad
Score: 1,198 points

3rd Place
Hālau: Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina‘ala
Kumu: Leina’ala Pavao Jardin
Score: 1,188 points