Apr. 17, 2023

Haʻaheo ko Hawaiʻi a puni i ka hiehie o ka hula a me ka nahenahe o nā leo hīmeni. Hoʻomaikaʻi i nā hālau hula a pau i komo ma ka hoʻokūkū Mele Manaka!

The 60th Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo was a fitting tribute to the legacy of King David Kalākaua. As a Kamehameha ʻohana we have much to celebrate; our students, alumni and staff were well-represented among the dancers, singers, kumu hula, judges, announcers, film crew, and more who were part of the festival.

This year’s extremely close competitions during the festival speak to the elevated nature and excellence of hula and mele as Hawaiian art forms, as expressions of aloha, and as ways of life.

Below are the winners of the 2023 Merrie Monarch Hula Competition:

2023 Overall Winner:
Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai o Haʻehaʻe, Kumu Hula Tracie KSK ’89 and Keawe Lopes

Wāhine Overall Winner:
Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai o Haʻehaʻe, Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes

Kāne Overall Winner:
Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi: Kumu Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes

Wahine ʻAuana:
Hālau Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua: Kumu Robert Keʻano Kaupu IV and Lono Padilla

Kāne ʻAuana:
Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua: Kumu Robert Keʻano Kaupu IV and Lono Padilla

Wahine Kahiko:
Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai o Haʻehaʻe: Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes

Kāne Kahiko:
Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalailiahi: Kumu Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes

Miss Aloha Hula
Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown
Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe: Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes

Miss Aloha Hula Hawaiian Language Award
Meleāna Kamalani Mirafuentes
Hālau Nā Mamo o Puʻuanahulu: Kumu Sonny Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera