Kara Leionani Chow, does an encore performance of her Miss Hula Aloha number upon arriving home from the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition on Sunday night. Chow, the daughter of Wes and Lauri Chow of Kalaheo, was the first runner-up in
Kara Leionani Chow, does an encore performance of her Miss Hula Aloha number upon arriving home from the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition on Sunday night. Chow, the daughter of Wes and Lauri Chow of Kalaheo, was the first runner-up in the Miss Hula Aloha competition at the festival, coming in just six point shy of Jennifer Kehaulani Oyama, and a point better than Hi’ileiokalani Costa. Chow has been dancing hula since she was three years old and performed a number “Ka Beauty A O Ha’ena” composed by her kumu hula Kapu Kinimaka-Alquiza. The hula tells of the love for Laka, the Goddess of Hula. Chow is a dancer with Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani, the only halau from Kaua’i to participate in this year’s Merrie Monarch. The hula festival concluded Saturday night at Hilo on the Big Island.