Kāne from O‘ahu capture overall win at Merrie Monarch Festival’s hula competition in Hilo

Nothing could stop the kāne from Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua of Oʻahu as they stormed the stage Saturday evening with smiles on their faces and holding the excited yells from the crowd in the palms of their hands.

Under the direction of Kumu Robert Keano Ka‘upu IV, the all male hula group swept the kāne division, earning first place in kāne hula kahiko (ancient), kāne hula ʻauana (modern), and kāne overall.

And with a total of 1,225 points, the hālau also captured the overall tile over 18 other hālau (hula groups/schools) at the 63rd annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo.

A kāne group had not done so in several years, but it was fitting to happen on the 50th anniversary of men competing in the prestigious global hula competition.

Kau’pu had told the Big Island Now in a story about the anniversary that he felt winning was the main goal. He just wanted every hālau to bring their A-game and give the best hula possible and it feels like Hālau Hiʻiakainamakalehua followed that correctly.

“I look at this year as an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a people, because we all understand the struggle that hula has endured to be as prevalent as it is now,” Kauʻpu said

The second-place overall winner was also a kāne group: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi from Maui, under the direction of Kumu Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes
, with 1,212 points.

The third-place overall winner was the wāhine of Hālau Mōhala ‘Iliima under the direction of Māpuana de Silva with 1,209 points.

The scent of ti-leaf, puakenikeni, plumeria and other florals permeated the open-air Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo on the final day of the three-day competition. Performances kicked off as the sun set, leaving the sky pink and purple as kāne from Na Pua Me Kealoha, from Carson, Calif., and Waimea, Hawai‘i, took the stage.

Seven kumu hula judged their performances, where they were scored on different aspects, including precision and movement, interpretation and expression, authenticity and grooming and performance flow.

Miss Aloha Hula took place on Thursday, where 21-year-old Faith Lynn Kealohapauʻole Paredes of Wailuku, Maui, captured the title.

Group performances from the kāne and wāhine started Friday with hula kahiko. On Saturday, hālau dazzled the crowds with hula ‘auana, where dancers performed to music sung by live musicians strumming guitars, bass, ukulele or playing a piano.

Spectator Lori Harada, who tries to go to Merrie Monarch every year, said ‘auana night has been beautiful.

“They are all very good this year and reflective of each of their kumu,” Harada said of this year’s hālau. “They are setting themselves apart from one another and you can read it on their faces, not just their movements.”

Overall festival winners

• 1st: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Ke Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV, from Niuhelewai, Kona, Oʻahu, with 1,225 points.
• 2nd: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with 1,212 points.
• 3rd: Hālau Mōhala ‘Iliima, Ke Kumu Māpuana de Silva, from Kaʻōhao, Oʻahu, with 1,209 points.

Overall Wāhine winners

• 1st: Hālau Mōhala ‘Iliima, Ke Kumu Māpuana de Silva, from Kaʻōhao, Oʻahu, 1,209 points.
• 2nd: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala, Nā Kumu Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin & Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao, Kalāheo, Kauaʻi, with 1,209 points.
• 3rd: Hālau Hula ‘O Kamuela, Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo, from Kalihi and Waimānalo, Oʻahu, with 1,206 points.

Overall Kāne winners

• 1st: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Ke Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV, from Niuhelewai, Kona, Oʻahu, with 1,225 points.
• 2nd: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with 1,212 points.
• 3rd: Hālau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, Nā Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, Kapahulu, Oʻahu, with 1,196 points.

The group, based out of Kalāheo, returned to Merrie Monarch this year after the passing of their Kumu Hula Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin. This year, the dancers were led by Jardin’s daughter, Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao.

In her first year as Kumu Hula, Pavao had no expectation that the hālau would earn any award, let alone second place wāhine overall, second place wāhine hula ʻauana and fifth place in wāhine hula kahiko.

“I am so thankful and so overwhelmed,” Pavao said. “We didn’t come here with any expectations for awards this year. We came to honor my mom and to leave with something is so so special.”

Adorned with plumerias that were picked in Līhuʻe on Friday, Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala mesmerized the audience with a hula ʻauana that functions as a tribute to place and a heartfelt expression of emotion rooted in the natural beauty of Līhuʻe.

“With what our hālau has endured since her passing, I think she would be so proud of us. I’m forever so grateful for the foundation my mom has laid for me and for her hālau,” Pavao said. “I’m forever so grateful for the foundation my mom has laid for me and for her hālau, so my next chapter for hula is to continue to carry on my mothers legacy.

See below for division winners.

Wāhine kahiko winners

• 1st: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Ke Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV, from Niuhelewai, Kona, Oʻahu, with 611 points.
• 2nd: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with 604 points.
• 3rd: Hālau Hula ‘O Kamuela, Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo, from Kalihi and Waimānalo, Oʻahu, with 603 points.
• 4th: Hālau Mōhala ‘Iliima, Ke Kumu Māpuana de Silva, from Kaʻōhao, Oʻahu, with 603 points.
• 5th: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala, Nā Kumu Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin & Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao, with 600 points.

Wāhine ‘auana winners

• 1st: Ka Lā Onoi Mai O Ha’eha’e, Nā Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes, from Pūʻahuʻula, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu with 611 points.
• 2nd: Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinā’ala, Nā Kumu Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin & Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao, with 609 points.
• 3rd: Hālau Mōhala ‘Iliima, Ke Kumu Māpuana de Silva, from Kaʻōhao, Oʻahu, with 606 points.
• 4th: Hālau Hula ‘O Kamuela, Nā Kumu Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo, from Kalihi and Waimānalo, Oʻahu, with 603 points.
• 5th: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with 602 points.

Kāne kahiko winners

1st: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Ke Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV, from Niuhelewai, Kona, Oʻahu, with 606 points.
2nd: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with 606 points.
3rd: Ke Kai O Kahiki, Ke Kumu Laʻakea Perry, from Waiʻanae & Lā‘ie, Oʻahu, with 605 points.
4th: Hālau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, Nā Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, Kapahulu, Oʻahu, with 596 points.

Kāne ʻauana winners

1st: Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, Ke Kumu Robert Keano Kaʻupu IV, from Niuhelewai, Kona, Oʻahu, with 619 points.
2nd: Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Nā Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes, from Wailuku, Maui, with 606 points.
3rd: Hālau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, Nā Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera, Kapahulu, Oʻahu, with 600 points.
4th: Ke Kai O Kahiki, Ke Kumu Laʻakea Perry, from Waiʻanae & Lā‘ie, Oʻahu, with 586 points.