Merrie Monarch 2012

After a year of intense preparation for the annual Merrie Monarch Festival, the competition has come and gone.  I have only been able to watch a few of the terrific performances so far, and am in awe of my east coast friends who sat up pretty much all night, three nights in a row, to watch the performances live (I wussed out, I’m afraid).

I must also admit to being positively thrilled that Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima, with Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva, did so well this year.  Kumu Māpu has been bringing her halau to Merrie Monarch for over 30 years, and this year they did extraordinarily well in the competition.

The Results

Miss Aloha Hula 2012:  This year’s winner is Rebecca Lilinoekekapahauomaunakea Sterling of Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima.  This young lady began dancing with Kumu Māpu when she was four; 20 years later, she has won this most prestigious prize.

• Kahiko: He Inoa No Kaleimakali’i
• ‘Auana: He Inoa No Na Keiki O Ka Bana Lahui (Kaulana Na Pua)

Hula Kahiko:

Wahine:

1. He Lei ‘Ala No Likelike : Halau O Ke ‘A’ali’i Ku Makani , Kumu Hula Manu Boyd, Kaneohe, Oahu
2. Hiehie Olomana : Halau Mōhala ‘Ilima, Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva, Kaohao, Kailua, Oahu
3. Maika’i Ka ‘Oiwi O Ka’ala : Halau Hula Olana, Na Kumu Hula Olana Ai and Howard Ai, Puuloa, Aiea, Oahu

Kane:

1. Hanohano Waimea : Halau I Ka Wekiu, Na Kumu Hula Karl Veto Baker & Michael Nalanakilaekolu Casupang, Pauoa, Honolulu, Oahu
2. Pōhaku o Kaua’i : Halau Hula ‘O Kawaili’ulā , Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe, Kailua, Oahu
3. Kakuhihewa : Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, Kumu Hula Kaleo Trinidad, Kapalama Uka, Honolulu, Oahu

Hula ‘Auana:

Wahine:

1. Hiehie Kīlaulani : Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima, Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva, Kaohao, Kailua, Oahu
2. ‘Iolialoha : Halau I Ka Wekiu, Na Kumu Hula Karl Veto Baker & Michael Nalanakilaekolu Casupang, Pauoa, Honolulu, Oahu
3. Punalu’u : Ka La Onohi Mai O Kaehae, Na Kumu Hula Tracie Kaonohilani Farias Lopes and Keawe Lopes, Kahauiki, Oahu

Kane:

1. Pua Lawena : Halau I Ka Wekiu, Na Kumu Hula Karl Veto Baker & Michael Nalanakilaekolu Casupang, Pauoa, Honolulu, Oahu
2. Ha’uha’u E : Halau Hula O Kawaili’ulā, Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe, Kailua, Oahu
3. He Mele Ho’ohanohano Kēia, No Ka Ho’okūkū Hei Pipi : Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, Kumu Hula Kaleo Trinidad, Kapalama Uka, Honolulu, Oahu

Another wonderful aspect of Merrie Monarch is the gorgeous costuming, whether kahiko or ‘auana.  The dresses for this ‘auana are simply stunning:  None Hula / E Maliu Mai, Halau Kawaili’ulā, Kumu Hula Chinky Māhoe.  As are the dresses in the Miss Aloha Hula 2011 farewell performance by Tori Hulali Canha, with Henohea Kane (2009) and Oralani Koa.

Additional results are here.  Videos are available on youtube and at KFVE, Honolulu.

Catchin’ up…

Paeʻaina 2012:  This was my 4th and final paeʻaina!  It feels so very good to have it completed.  Our little group, Team Kaunaʻoa, choreographed and performed a kahiko.  Our theme was Princess Kaʻiulani (her full name:  Victoria Kaʻiulani Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kawēkiu i Lunalilo Cleghorn) and our hula was entitled simply “Kaʻiulani”.   In addition to the choreography, we designed our outfits (peasant blouses, pantaloons, and a paʻu skirt–  the design on the fabric turned out to be the halau colors!  Unplanned but delightful!)  Using fern fronds and the occasional orchid, we made lei poʻo for our heads and lei kupeʻe for our wrists and ankles.  We purchased maile leis from the big island of Hawaiʻi to complete our costumes.  My maile lei is now draped over the bulletin board in my office and each morning when I open the door there is a lovely fragrance in the room.  So nice!  Next year we will be judges for this event.

Merrie Monarch 2012:  This is Merrie Monarch week at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo.  There are 23 halau scheduled to perform, including two from California and one from Las Vegas.  Thursday April 12 is the Miss Aloha Hula competition; Friday April 13 is kahiko; Saturday April 14 is ʻauana.  The competition begins at 6 p.m. local time and you can watch it on your computer (or tv if you’re local); that is unfortunately midnight to 6 a.m. here on the east coast so I’ll be catching up with the performances at a later time.

Merrie Monarch

Hoʻike Hawaiʻi competition, Orlando, 2012:  This is the next big event for our halau and we are all hard at work.  Last year the gracious ladies performed ʻauana; this year we will be doing both ʻauana and kahiko.  [Watch for the sales of Icy Hot to soar!]  The wahine have also begun their practices, and we have at least one soloist this year.  We are all excited for her as she begins her competition journey.

Hoʻike Hawaiʻi

Siva Samoa

Talofa!  I’d seen the Samoan siva at some point during my first year of hula and loved both the dance and the dancer.   She danced to Mamalu O Samoa and it looked like so much fun that it went on my bucket list as something I wanted to learn someday.

When I got to the Ho’ike workshop in December, I discovered that they’d changed the time for the Samoan siva class.  In past years it had always been scheduled at the same time as hula so I had pretty much decided I’d never get the chance.   Ten of us  signed up:  9 haoles and 1 Hawaiian!  Turns out it was on their bucket lists too!

The song that we learned is Musika Malie (by Pacific Soul), and oh, what fun we had!  Both the hand and foot movements are quite different from hula and parts of  it were a real challenge.  We laughed until we cried, and the three-hour classes seemed to last only 15 minutes.  We persevered, though, and conquered it!

On Sunday afternoon of the workshop there is an exhibition time where everyone shows what they’ve learned.  We did our siva and proclaimed that we were Saaaamoan, at least for 5 minutes!  And we all plan to return to this class at the 2012 workshop.

Here’s an example of the traditional siva… unfortunately I don’t know the name of the song or who recorded it.

Tofa!

Ho’ike Workshop Weekend

This weekend the Ho‛ike Hawai‛i organization will be holding its 6th annual workshop. I attended my first workshop four years ago and made my first (and thus far only) Hawaiian quilt. It’s a gorgeous thing with turtles and dolphins frolicking on a darkening ocean with starlight flickering on the waves.

The last two years I’ve taken the hula class with Kumu Hula Mapuana de Silva from Halau Mohala Ilima in Ka‛ōhao, Kailua, Hawai‛i.  We’ve done hula noho (seated kahiko), ‛auana, and chanting. Kumu Mapu’s husband, Kihei, is a scholar and songwriter, and does an astonishing amount of research for the hulas that we learn, and we have been blessed to have him teach us as well.

This year I’ll be taking the hula class once again, and it’ll be a special time, as the class will be taught by my own Kumu, Kawehi Punahele. We’ll be learning a kahiko (Aia Emmalani la i ka uka) and an ‘auana (Palisa [Paris], by Kuana Torres Kahele.  It is on the cd Kaunaloa, which is one of 13 music albums on the preliminary ballot for the Grammy nominee.)

The workshop covers many Polynesian traditions.  In addition to the hula class, I’m also taking a lei making class.   Other courses include:

• Hawaiian hula
• Tahitian ori
• Maori poi ball dance
• Samoan siva
• Samoan knife dance
• Hawaiian quilt making
• Tahitian toere drumming
• Ukulele playing
• Bone fish hook carving
• Ipu heke making
• Fish hook tying

Someday I hope to also take the Samoan Siva (a dance), the Tahitian Ori (also a dance, likely to put me in traction but I’m willing to suffer for the cause!),  the Tahitian toere drumming (I already have a partner commitment for this one for next year), and perhaps strum a few chords on a ukulele.

ʻŌlelo Noʻeau

He hulu makua.

A feather parent.

When most of the relatives of the parents’ generation are gone, the few left were referred to as hulu mākua and considered as precious and choice as feathers.  Hulu can refer to relatives as far back as three generations.

 

I paʽa iaia ʽaʽole ʽoe e puka.

If it had ended with him [or her] you would not be here.

Said to a younger sibling to encourage more respect for an elder.

 

Ola na iwi.

The bones live.

Said of a respected oldster who is well cared for by his family.

 

ʽOiai e nānā mai ana no na maka.

While the eyes still look around.

While a person is living, treat him kindly and learn what you can from him.

ʻŌlelo Noʻeau

Kuhi no ka lima, hele no ka maka.

Where the hands move, there let the eyes follow.

A rule in hula.

Hōʽaleʽale Mānā I ka kaha o Kaunalewa.

Mānā ripples over the land of Kaunalewa.

Said of the movements of a dance.  A play on ʽaleʽale (to ripple like water), referring to the getures of the hands, and lewa (to sway), referring to the movement of the hips.

Niniu Molokaʽi, pahi Lānaʽi.

Molokaʽi revolves, Lānaʽi sways.

A description of the revolving of the hips and the swaying movements in hula.

Hoʽike 2011 Recap

Hoʽike 2011 has come and gone.  This year’s competition was well-attended by both performers and audience.  Groups came from Florida, Las Vegas, Virginia Beach, Augusta (Georgia), and Chicago.  New friendships were made; old friendships were renewed; the music and dancing were outstanding.  And it was wonderful to see everyone really support this very important event.

Performances are judged on five qualities:

• Kaʽi (entrance) – 10 points
• Choreography – 30 points
• Performance – 30 points
• Costume – 20 points
• Hoʽi (exit) – 10 points

Our halau did well:  we took

• 2^nd place in kahiko: the chant was Maikaʽi Ka ʽOiwi O Ka Ala; kaʽi, Hoʽopuka E Ka La; hoʽi, Hoʽi E, Hoʽi La
• 1^st place in wahine ‘auana: the mele (song) was Laʽieikawai; kaʽi, Ka Pilina; hoʽi, Ka Pilina
• 2^nd place in kūpuna ‘auana: the mele was Ohai Aliʽi Kaluhea; kaʽi, Ka Makani Kaʽili Aloha ; hoʽi, Ka Makani Kaʽili Aloha

And now we all begin our preparations for next year!