LIHU‘E — Hula Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina‘ala, led by Kalaheo kumu hula Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin, finished in third place in the Wahine Hula Kahiko division at the 50th Anniversary Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Big Island. Pavao Jardin’s
LIHU‘E — Hula Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina‘ala, led by Kalaheo kumu hula Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin, finished in third place in the Wahine Hula Kahiko division at the 50th Anniversary Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Big Island.
Pavao Jardin’s hula halau had initially finished in a tie with an O‘ahu halau, with 568 points for their performance, and only two points behind first-place Halau Mohala Ilima, of O‘ahu.
Turning to the tie-breaker, the Kalaheo-based hula halau took third place, below Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela under na kumu hula Kau‘ionalani Kamana‘o and Kunewa Mook, according to results posted on kalena.com.
The combined halau from Kalihi and Waimanalo, O‘ahu, accumulated 795 points, while Pavao Jardin’s halau collected 786 points.
Last year, Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina‘ala finished fourth in the Wahine ‘Auana division.
The 2013 Merrie Monarch Festival Overall (kane and wahine) winner was ‘O Kawaili‘ula (kane), with kumu hula Chinky Mahoe of Kailua, O‘ahu. The halau received the Lokalia Montgomery Perpetual Trophy and a sponsored trip to a hula festival in Ikaho, Japan after raking up 1,155 points, just three points ahead of Halau Mohala ‘Ilima (wahine) with kumu hula Mapuana de Silva of Ka‘ohao, Kailua, O‘ahu.
The 1,152-point collection by Halau Mohala ‘Ilima was sufficient to claim the Wahine Overall division for de Silva who edged out Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela by a mere point, the halau led by Kamana‘o and Mook garnering 1,151 points.
Third place in the Wahine Overall division went to Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e under na kumu hula Tracie Ka‘onohilani Farias Lopes and Keawe Lopes of Kahauiki, Honolulu, O‘ahu who collected 1,142 points.
Mahoe’s halau also topped the Kane Overall division followed by Halau I Ka Wekiu of Pauoa, O‘ahu, under na kumu hula Karl Veto Baker and Michael Nalanakila‘ekolu Casupang claimed second place with 1,145 points.
Kumu hula Nahokuokalani Gaspang led Halau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani of the host town to third place with 1,141 points, just four points shy of second place.
Kumu hula de Silva led her halau to first place in the Wahine Hula Kahiko division, just two points ahead of the two halau which tied for second place and resorted to the tie breaker for final placement.
Kumu hula Mahoe’s halau topped the Kane Hula Kahiko division with 566 points, just a point ahead of Halau Kekuaokala‘au‘ala‘iliahi under na kumu hula Brandon ‘Iliahi Paredes and Joy Haunani Paredes of Wailuku, Maui, and Ke Kai O Kahiki under kumu hula La‘akea Perry of Wai‘anae, O‘ahu, both second place halau collecting 565 points and similar to the wahine division, resorting to the tiebreaker giving the Maui group (789 tiebreaker) second over Ke Kai O Kahiki (787 tiebreaker).
Keolalaulani Halau ‘Olapa O Laka under kumu hula Aloha Dalire, the first Miss Aloha Hula when hula was introduced to the Merrie Monarch Festival, Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela under na kumu hula Kamana‘o and Mook, and Halau Mohala ‘Ilima under kumu hula de Silva filled the top three spots of Wahine Hula ‘Auana division, the gap between first and third places being separated by just three points.
Kumu hula Mahoe topped the Kane Hula ‘Auana division with 589 points followed by Halau I Ka Wekiu with Na Kumu Veto and Casupang at second with 586 points.
Manalani Mill Hokoana English of Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka under Na Kumu Hula Napua Greig Makua and Kahulu Maluo of Kula, Maui, earned the Miss Aloha Hula title Thursday night in Hilo.
