A weekend of hula and culture at the Moku O Keawe International Festival


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Photography by Michael Darden | Special to Hawaii 24/7

MEDIA RELEASE

KOHALA COAST, HAWAI’I—The 6th Annual Moku O Keawe International Festival’s hula competition concluded Saturday, November 5, when First Place Wahine Hula was awarded to Ke Ala O Ke Ao Cultural Art Studio, (942 points), Nā Kumu Hula Kalani and Kahikina Ah Sing. First Place Wahine Pakahi (Soloist) was won by Aulani’s Hula Hālau, Nā Kumu Hula Aulani Young and Kapu Hoapili, soloist Alexis Keauli‘ihokuleleokapu Hoapili, (831 points).

The winning hālau received a spectacular sterling silver and ‘ōhi‘a based wood trophy created by Tiffany & Co., with Moku O Foundation’s “Pu‘u Lehua” logo designed by Sig Zane. The perpetual trophy will be held by the winner through the year and returned for the 2012 presentation. Solo winners received a Moku O Keawe signature bracelet in the same design.

On Friday, Ke Ala O Ke Ao Cultural Art Studio won first place in the Kupuna Hula competition. Top honors in the Kupuna Pakahi (Soloist) category went to Eo Nahenahe O Pohai Kealoha, Kumu Hula Stan Kaina, soloist Pi‘ilani Rodrigues.

A total of 20 hālau from Hawai‘i, U.S. mainland and Japan participated in the competition. Groups and soloists were evaluated by judges Nālani Kanaka‘ole, Iwalani Kalima and Leialoha Amina, for expertise in the areas of Ka‘i (entrance chant), Interpretation, Expression, Posture, Precision, Hand Gestures, Feet and Body movements, Ho‘i (exit chant), Costumes, Adornments, Grooming and Overall Performance. (See complete list below.)

Event sponsors include Waikoloa Beach Resort, Louis Vuitton, Big Island Candies, Big Island Visitors Bureau, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Resort Quest Hawaii, Outrigger Condominium Collections, Waimea Music Company, KAPA, Shiono Sushi, Hawaii Tourism Authority – County of Hawaii CPEP, Vitamin Water and Hamakua Macadamia Nuts.

The Moku O Keawe International Festival is an annual celebration of the rich Hawaiian culture, produced by the Moku O Keawe Foundation, a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing, enriching and educating the practice and development of hula and its associated arts to build, strengthen and inspire the living cultural traditions of Hawai‘i. For more information, visit www.MOKIF.com

2011 Moku O Keawe International Festival Winners

Kupuna Pakahi (Soloist) Winners
1st Place – Eo Nahenahe O Pohai Kealoha, Kumu Hula Stan Kaina. Soloist, Pi‘ilani Rodrigues (456 points)
2nd Place – Hula Hālau Kahula O Hawaii, Kumu Hula Kyoko Kubokawa. Soloist, Shikako Taga (396)
3rd Place – Hālau O Lehuamakanoe, Kumu Hula Ikuko Mori. Soloist, Machiko Hooulu Ueno (386)

Kupuna Hālau Winners
1st Place – Ke Ala O Ke Ao Cultural Arts Studio, Nā Kumu Hula Kalani and Kahikina Ah Sing (469)
2nd Place – Hauoli’s Masako Aketa Hula Studio, Kumu Masako Aketa (438)
3rd Place – Hula Hālau Kahula O Hawaii, Kumu Kyoko Kubokawa (426)

Wahine Pakahi (Soloists)
1st Place – Aulani’s Hula Hālau, Nā Kumu Hula Aulani Young and Kapu Hoapili. Solist Alexis Keauli‘ihokuleleokapu Hoapili (831)
2nd Place – Hālau Na Hiwahiwa ‘O Ku‘ualoha, Kumu Hula Sammye Ann Ku‘ualoha Young. Soloist, Melia Taganas (757)
3rd Place – Ke ‘Olu Makani O Mauna Loa, Kumu Hula Meleana Manuel. Soloist, Emma Malulani Tunison, (702)

Wahine Hālau
1st Place – Ke Ala O Ke Ao Cultural Art Studio, Nā Kumu Hula Kalani and Kahikina Ah Sing (942)
2nd Place – Beamer Solomon Hālau Po‘ohala, Kumu Hula Hulali Solomon Covington (868)
3rd Place – Hui Hula Naleikapakupua, Kumu Hula Yukiko Hanayama (835)

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