LIHU‘E — Iwone Sharde Marshall, of visiting Halau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, swept her way to the Kaua‘i Mokihana Festival Miss Mokihana Hula Kahiko crown Thursday at the Kaua‘i Beach Resort near Hanama‘ulu. She took first place and $400 in
LIHU‘E — Iwone Sharde Marshall, of visiting Halau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, swept her way to the Kaua‘i Mokihana Festival Miss Mokihana Hula Kahiko crown Thursday at the Kaua‘i Beach Resort near Hanama‘ulu.
She took first place and $400 in the oli (chant) category, first place and $400 in the costume/adornments category, and second place and $300 in the hula category, totaling $2,100 when the $1,000 for the overall title was added to her take.
Halau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine is under the direction of Ka‘iwihila Vaughan-Darval, daughter of Palani Vaughan and brother of Kaua‘i’s Kilipaki Vaughan.
Marshall’s hula about Queen Lili’uokalani and her entourage traveling aboard the Lanakila steam train was an audience favorite as well. Marshall, an O‘ahu native and U.S. Army sergeant who has done two tours of duty in Iraq, wrote on her application, “Hula is the one factor that has kept me grounded.”
Unable to keep the audience grounded, or at least seated, was Kaua‘i-based Halau Hula ‘O Hali‘ileo, under the direction of kumu hula Doric Yaris.
It mattered little that they were the sole kane entrant at the festival’s solo and group kahiko nei hula competition. It was much more about the performance than the contest. Wrapped in about 100 yards of pellon, the kane resembled peacocks in plumage, and the appreciative audience of around 500 people loudly sounded their appreciation.
Kaua‘i keiki kane fresh from a third-place win in hula kahiko at the 35th Annual Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Hula Competition on O‘ahu, with Halau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leina‘ala and kumu hula Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin, gave an exhibition performance.
Rounds of competition began with solo ‘opio wahine, went on to Miss Mokihana Hula Kahiko, then to group kaikamahine, next to group wahine and winding up with group kane.
Hawai‘i Stream covered the event live, and festival co-founder Nathan Kalama said people were sending him e-mails that they were watching the event from Japan, Australia and beyond.
Overall
1. Iwone Sharde Marshall, Halau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, $1,000
2. Aleah Makuakane, Halau O Ka Hanu Lehua, $500
3. Tiere Kawaiola Kekaula, Halau Pomika‘ilani, $300
Oli category
1. Marshall, $400
2. Makuakane, $300
3. Kekaula, $200
Costume/Adornments category
1. Marshall, $400
2. Makuakane, $300
3. Kekaula, $200
Hula category
1. Makuakane, $400
2. Marshall, $300
3. Kekaula, $200
