Tommy Vidinha of Kalaheo was the big winner, taking two of the distinguished awards Sunday during the Kaua‘i Museum presents the Walter &Irmalee Pomroy Lei Contest at the Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort Lihu‘e.
Celebrating May Day is Lei Day, this was the first in-person showing of lei since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the lei contest for more than two years. The response to the end of the pause was amazing, with a field of 34 lei makers from Kekaha to Kilauea taking time and effort to create a lei for consideration.
“I won one of the prizes at the Puni Patrick lei contest,” said Shelby-Allen Shimazu of Kekaha. “She invited me and another lei maker who won the contest to this competition.”
Unfortunately, the Westside lei maker did not earn any awards on this outing, although the purple crown flower that are plentiful in Kekaha earned Jan Matsukawa the Mayor’s Choice Award.
Ilima Rivera had her granddaughter Hilina‘i Kahaunaele, a fourth-grader, entering the lei contest for the first time.
Kahaunaele earned top honors in the division for keiki in pre-kindergarten to grade five for her creation that teased the closing deadline over the efforts of Hendrix and Ava Gushman of Kalaheo, who arrived at the Royal Sonesta early so mom Erin could enter her creations.
Hendrix and Ava earned second and third place in the division for keiki in pre-kindergarten to grade five, as well as getting honorable mention, while mom Erin earned the Royal Sonesta Award for her crownflower creation.
The annual lei contest was presented by the Kaua‘i Museum in partnership with the Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort Lihu‘e, Duke’s Canoe Club, Keoki’s Paradise, Timbers Kaua‘i and Ho‘ohana Partners.
Keiki La Lei
Grade six to eight: Magic Calif;
Pre-kindergarten to grade five: Hilina‘i Kahaunaele, Hendrix Gushman, Ava Gushman;
Under 5 years: MaLyah Pikake Laymance-Drake;
Youngest lei maker: MaLyah Pikake Laymance-Drake;
Honorable mention: Hendrix Gushman, Ava Gushman;
Distinguished Awards
Director’s Choice Award: Uli‘i Castor;
Kaua‘i Museum Award: Tommy Vidinha;
Distinguished President’s Award: C. Ka‘ohu Ranis;
Royal Sonesta Award: Erin Gushman;
Mayor’s Award: Jan Matsukawa;
Irmalee Pomroy Award: Owana Botelho;
Walter Pomroy Award “Ka Lei I Ka Wekiu”: Kala Oshiro;
Duke’s Artistic Award: Noelani Nau‘i Naumu;
Duke’s Papale Award: Tommy Vidinha;
Timbers Kaua‘i Award: Michael Koerte;
Keoki’s Paradise Excellence Award: Lahiki Goo;
Keoki’s Ali‘i Award: Tammy Nishimoto;
Lanakiola Hou Award: Jennifer Pomroy.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
