KAPAA — Te Orama and Otea Api, groups from California, arrived Sunday afternoon and captured the lion’s share of the group competition at Heiva I Kauai Tahitian dance celebration at Kapaa Beach Park. Headed by Anthony Manaois, Te Orama took
KAPAA — Te Orama and Otea Api, groups from California, arrived Sunday afternoon and captured the lion’s share of the group competition at Heiva I Kauai Tahitian dance celebration at Kapaa Beach Park.
Headed by Anthony Manaois, Te Orama took top honors in the otea (storytelling) and aparima (traditional) competition, being joined by Otea Api, led by Katrina Dejesus, taking the ahupurotu (formal, elegant dance) class.
Kauai’s Ori Uvira, led by Nic Kaneakua and Ginger Kaneakua, took the drumming competition, finishing second in the ahupurotu and aparima divisions and getting third in the otea.
Te E A o Te Turama, a group from Kona led by Maile and Kawika Tavares, finished second in the otea, and secured third place in aparima, drumming, and the ahupurotu classes.
Several thousand people flowed through the gates of Kapaa Beach Park, taking advantage of clear weather to enjoy the showcase of Polynesian dance as well as the Polynesian culture, with crafters and vendors from Polynesia offering their wares.
The event was sponsored by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, County of Kauai and Island Air.
Solo results
Vahine (female) age 4-6: Hani DeMello, Anaia Caceres, Galilea Mercado
Tane (male) age 4-6: Rhyder Bejo
Vahine age 7-9: Shayla Aiolupotea, Esabella Kukono, Rylee Boyer
Tane age 7-9: Leonidas Kukono, Waipuna Tavares, Lio Baliaris-Rivera
Vahine age 10-12: Chardonnay Kinimaka, Naia Ho, Paris Ramos
Tane age 10-12: Lohiau Kinimaka, Parker Rozzano-Keefe, Ocean Iona
Vahine age 13-15: Trystne Nozaki, Taylor Torcato, Alyssa-Ann Asuncion
Tane age 13-15: Jonacy Montero, La‘amea Kinimaka, Naone Tolentino
Vahine age 16-18: Kyla Ray Pacheco-Paglinawan, Christina Young, Tehani Perkins
Tane age 16-18: Noah Dejesus
Vahine age 19-25: Kawela Kanuha-Ezzo, Poerava Tolentino, Cassandra Ainoa-Kanoho
Tane age 19-25: Emmsley-James Drake, Kyle Dejesus, Makana Keana‘aina
Vahine age 26-39: Lani Costido, Allysa Hernandez, Morgan Chang
Tane age 26-39: Kainalu Tolentino, Charles Hepa, Charlie Curammeng
Vahine age 40-plus: Lokelani Sasil, Kula Andrews, Arleen Marcelo
Group results
Otea: Te Orama, Te E A o Te Turama, Ori Uvira
Aparima: Te Orama, Ori Uvira, Te E A o Te Turama
Drumming: Ori Uvira, Te Orama, Te E A o Te Turama
Ahupurotu: Otea Api, Ori Uvira, Te E A o Te Turama
