Meet Miss Aloha Hula 2008, Kalimakuhilani Suganuma

[KamaAina]

it's that time of year again: the Merrie Monarch hula competition, brought to you as always from the Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium in rain-sodden (138 inches a year!) Hilo, Hawai'i.

Come to think of it, I've never heard of any tennis being played at the Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium. I'm beginning to suspect that people just thought that putting "hula stadium" on a grant application might have raised some red flags on the mainland.

http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/04/news/story06.html

HILO » In unusually close competition, Kalimakuhilani Suganuma of Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka, a halau (hula school -Ed.) in Kaneohe, was named Miss Aloha Hula last night at the 45th annual Merrie Monarch Festival.

First runner-up was Kapalai'ula de Silva from Halau Mohala 'Ilima, daughter of kumu hula Mapuana de Silva.

The two dancers had the same scores, 1,130 points, which threw the competition into tie-breaker rules.

Tie-breaker rules! And all this time you thought Florida was the only warm-weather state that knew how to rig an outcome! :P



And on a lighter note:

Two of the evening's earlier contestants, Leonani Naho'oikaika and Naomi Klein, won over the audience with their performances.

Naomi Klein?! I'm kvelling!! Oh, wait a minute:



Naomi Pi'ilaniho'omalamalamaokalani Klein danced during the kahiko portion of last night's Miss Aloha Hula competition on the first night of the 45th annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo.

For a minute there, I thought I heard Colbert's "Atonement Phone" ringing "Hava, nagila hava...", then I saw the "Pi'ilaniho'omalamalamaokalani". :-)

Actually the Miss Aloha Hula competition, featuring solo wahine (woman) dancers, is just the appetizer for the main Merrie Monarch competition, which begins tonight with the various halau competing in traditional hula kahiko. The event concludes tomorrow night with hula 'auana ("modern" as of the late monarchic era, around 1890, with flowing gowns rather than grass skirts, and musical instruments other than the 'ipu or gourd drum). Once again, streaming is available from our ABC affiliate, KITV-4:

http://www.kitv.com/merriemonarch/index.html

but note that the festivities begin at 6 PM HST, that is, 9 on the West* Coast and midnight back East. But for all you insomniac hula fanatics out there, E komo mai! (Welcome!)

[joneschick]

1. a deserved kick for you

:hi:

[quadriga]

2. I like Tahitian style myself

I don't like the Hawaiian outfits, too many frills and ruffles, all bunched up like that.

[KamaAina]

3. Those are the 'auana (modern) outfits

Kahiko style (the word derives from the word for "Tahitian", but in this context it means "ancient") doesn't have frills or ruffles. You may occasionally even see a grass skirt or two (for both kane and wahine) from the real purists.

And kahiko night is tonight, at 6 HST.