Twelve women between the ages of 18 and 25 took the stage Thursday night at Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo to compete for the most prestigious title a solo hula dancer can earn, Miss Aloha Hula.
The solo wahine event is the first of three nights in the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition — known as the “Super Bowl” or “Olympics” of hula.
Miss Aloha Hula 2023 was crowned Thursday evening later than the Tribune-Herald’s print edition deadline.
The results and additional photos can be found on the Tribune-Herald’s website at www.hawaiitribune-herald.com.
All 12 Miss Aloha Hula competitors danced a hula kahiko (ancient hula) and hula ‘auana (modern hula) as seven judges evaluated their performances.
Miss Aloha Hula 2022, Pi‘ikea Kekihenelehuawewehiikekau‘onohi Lopes of Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e — the halau of her kumu hula parents, Tracie and Keawe Lopes — took the last dance of her reign as the judges’ scores were tabulated to determine her successor.
Two of the dancers are from Big Island halau.
Tehani Kaleohoneonalani Barrett represents Halau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu of Hilo, under the direction of na kumu hula Kasie Puahala Kaleohano and Brandi Nohelani Barrett —the latter the mother of the dancer. Kaleohano and both Barretts were students of the late kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho of Hilo.
The other Hawaii Island dancer, Pola‘a Kalani‘elima Yim represents Halau Kala‘akeakauikawekiu of Kailua-Kona, under the direction of kumu hula Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokala Victor.
For her kahiko, Barrett danced “He Mele No Kahawali,” a chant written by Lum Ho about a Puna chief, Kahawali, who defeated Pele — who was disguised as an old woman — in a holua (ancient sledding) race.
Yim, who discovered when tracing her genealogy she is a descendant of Kamehameha the Great, danced “He Inoa No Kamehameha I” as her kahiko mele. The chant praises the formidable prowess of Kamehameha I and his warriors.
Barrett’s ‘auana was “Lei Hiwahiwa I Ke Anu,” a medley of Lum Ho songs with additions by Kuana Torres Kahele. In this mele aloha, snow goddess Poliahu appears mantled in white in the cold, misty uplands of Kilauea. Her companion, a scarlet honeycreeper, symbolizes a special lover.
For her ‘auana, Yim danced “Ho‘onanea” — a Hawaiian standard penned by “Hawaii’s Songbird,” Lena Machado, that conjures images of passionate, moonlit romantic encounters.
The other 10 competitors are:
• Nohealeimamo Vaughan-Darval of Halau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, kumu hula Ka‘ilihiwa Vaughan-Darval;
• Eva Rose Keao‘opuaikala‘i Espinoza of Keolalaulani Halau ‘Olapa O Laka, kumu hula Keolalaulani Dalire;
• Je’ani-Jade Kalamaolaikapohakea Pavao of Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela, na kumu hula Kunewa Mook and Kau‘ionalani Kamana‘o;
• Pohaikealoha Olikolani Artates of Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka, kumu hula Napua Greig;
• Karlee Pohaikealoha Rita Chong-Kee of Halau Kekuaokala‘au‘ala‘iliahi, na kumu hula Haunani and ‘Iliahi Parades;
• Meleana Kamalani Mirafuentes of Halau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, na kumu hula William Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching and Lopaka Igarta-De Vera;
• Jazmine Nohealani Adams-Clarke of Halau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniakea, kumu hula Kapua Dalire-Moe;
• Breeze Ann Kalehuaonalani Vidinha Pavao of Halau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leina‘ala, kumu hula Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin;
• Jill-Lyan Makanaokalani Mae-Ling Mamizuka of Halau o ka Hanu Lehua, kumu hula Carlson Kamaka Kukona III; and
• Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionamakua Thronas Brown of Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, na kumu hula Tracie and Keawe Lopes.
The 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival continues today.
The schedule is:
9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Merrie Monarch Hawaiian Arts and Crafts Fair at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium
10 a.m. and 1 p.m.: Hawaiian lecture and/or performance at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center
11 a.m.: Halau I Ka Leo Ola O Na Mamo, na kumu hula Pelehonuamea and Kekoa Harman, at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium
Noon: Halau Na Pua O Uluhaimalama, kumu hula Emery Aceret, at Grand Naniloa Hotel
1 p.m.: Halau Ha‘a Kea O Kinohi, kumu hula Paul Neves at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
6 p.m.: Group Hula Kahiko Competition at Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.