Merrie Monarch week has arrived!

Do you smell that? You know, that smell, yes that one...Thatʻs the smell of hula in the air! This is the week that folks come from all over the world to witness and experience the largest hula extravaganza anywhere in the world. In Hilo one can find a variety of hula performances or discussions of hula that will satisfy anyone's palette.
Plus this is when all the Hawaiian art and crafts, usually pertaining to hula objects can be found made right here in Hawaii. Today at the ʻImiloa Astronomy Center the students of Ke Kula ʻo Nawahiokalaniʻopuʻu will be offering a presentation of the traditional stories of Keaomelemele. The show will tell the epic story of gods, humans and hula. And of course it will be all done in Hawaiian. On Wednesday, Kumuhula Leinaʻala Heine will share in the connection of the Keaomelemele with genealogical ties in hula. Also, later on that day there will be a panel of former Miss Aloha Hula winners from the famous Halau O Ka Ua Kani Lehua of Uncle Johnny Lum Ho. Sure to be an interesting discussion. Throughout the week there will be numerous hula halau performing for the community either at the Civic Auditorium, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, or the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort. So everyone will have a chance to catch some hula! If you donʻt have tickets by now for the Merrie Monarch Hula competition you can always attend the free night on Wednesday evening. Always the crowd favorite, but again, go early, because there will be a ʻcrowdʻ. Besides the Royal court dancers of Halau o Kekuhi, the featured performers are of Halau Hula o Hokulani, one of my personal favorites.
Our halau Kahula o na Mamo o Moʻikeha was asked to perform on Monday and Tuesday, once at the Hilo Hawaiian and the other for the Naniloa, but unfortunately when I found out it was not enough time for us to plan for it and the timing was not good for most of the dancers. I consider it a privilege to be asked of such a thing and I hope the office will call us again for next year, and apparently our performance dates were already printed in the Merrie Monarch program too, so hey itʻs cool to see our name in there!
Okay, well I can not help but mention the losses we have had in our hula world before closing. The co-founder of Merrie Monarch Uncle George Naʻope this past year has truly been felt by all. His legacy of hula has been so profound to his students and to all associated with hula. This was a hula master, maybe the last of the ʻold school kineʻ, but with the other loss of founder Aunty Dotty Thompson one canʻt help to see how fast life can pass us by and before you know it our loved ones and mentors are gone. Hilo is also still is shock over the passing of Kumuhula Rae Fonseca, a big local competitor and a protege of Uncle George. Kumu Raeʻs halau will still compete this year as he would want them to. Surely a crowd favorite. Okay, besides all that, Kahula o na mamo o Moʻikeha is still practicing for the ʻUniki of Lei Hulu of Hiloʻ on Sunday at 1pm at Sangha Hall in Hilo. Of course you must come and see us hula! Only $25 at the door for a luʻau style course meal and entertainment. I will try and post again before the week is out. Yours in hula!