Organizers of the Kaua‘i Mokihana Festival’s Hapa Haole Hula Competition and the Miz Kaua‘i Tita Pageant have announced in a press release that the application deadline for both contests is tomorrow. The Hapa Haole Hula Competition is April 28, and
Organizers of the Kaua‘i Mokihana Festival’s Hapa Haole Hula Competition and the Miz Kaua‘i Tita Pageant have announced in a press release that the application deadline for both contests is tomorrow.
The Hapa Haole Hula Competition is April 28, and the Miz Kaua‘i Tita Pageant is April 29, both at the Kauai Beach Hotel & Resort at Nukoli‘i (formerly the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort).
The Hapa Haole Hula Competition allows those from hotels and businesses to showcase their talents.
Chanell Flores, the reigning Miz Kaua‘i Tita, will hand over her title in the unique competition where ladies create local-food dishes, blow conch shells, and perform other functions for the right to be called Miz Kaua‘i Tita 2006.
Both events help kick off the 22nd anniversary celebration of the Kaua‘i Mokihana Festival.
Nathan Kalama, festival coordinator, defines a hapa haole song as one with a Hawaiian theme, in terms of the land, its people or places and things, with a majority of lyrics in English.
“Hapa” translates to “half,” Kalama explained, “so the music and dance are half Hawaiian and half haole (foreigner or Caucasian).” There are divisions for hotel and other business entrants.
The annual fund-raiser for the Kaua‘i Mokihana Festival is designed to expand cultural awareness and generate early interest in the festival and the Visitor Industry Charity Walk.
Tickets are $10 per person for each event, available at Blockbuster in Kukui Grove Center and Waipouli Town Center, Hanalei Video & Music, and Menehune Plantation in the Port Allen Marina Center.
Crafters interested in participating in one or both days of the events may call Edee Bandmann, 634-5352.
More information on the competitions or festival is available from Kalama, 822-2166 or KMFKauai@msn.com, or Jodi Omo for Miz Kaua‘i Tita applications, 246-5515 or jomo@kauaibeachhotelandresort.com.
The event is sponsored in part by the Hawaii Tourism Authority and County of Kaua‘i Office of Economic Development.
