May. 2, 2016

Contributed by Pakalani Bello

Kamehameha Schools Maui seniors recently swept all of the awards at the campus’ annual ‘Aha Mele, winning the song contest’s overall award – Ka Maka o ka Ihe – for the second year in a row.

In a night filled with mele and hula about “Ku‘u Home Aloha,” or my beloved home, the seniors – led by Mauliola Gonsalves – performed “He ‘Olu,” a song written by former KS Kapālama Po‘o Kumu Julian Ako about the home of former KSK Po‘o Kula Dr. Michael Chun in Waimea.

Their performance won both the Ka Maka o ka Ihe award and the Ka Hulu Kupuna award (language award). Senior Aeris Joseph-Takeshita, who led the combined wahine song, “Pihanakalani,” won the Ka Lei a Pauahi award for the top director.

The event, held at the campus’ Kaʻulaheanuiokamoku Gymnasium, began with hula, including ‘Ulalena and Halema‘uma‘u, by students in ka papa hula and ka papa ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i. Then the entire student body performed “Nā Kini Pua Lei Mamo Hawai‘i,” “Hawai‘i Pono‘i” and “Ho‘onani i ka Makua Mau.” After the Nā Mele Choir added their rendition of “Waikā,” the competition began.

The freshmen and sophomores opened with a couple of old favorites in “‘Āinahau” and “Ku‘u Home (Old Plantation).” The junior class then followed up with “Kimo Hula” before the seniors closed the competition with “He ‘Olu.”

The student body then shifted to separate by gender, to share with the crowd of approximately 1,500, “Beautiful Kahana,” by the boys, and “Pihanakalani,” by the girls, before mass numbers, “Kamehameha Waltz” and “I Mua Kamehameha.” Papa Hula and Hawaiian Ensemble shared a few more numbers before the awards were handed out.