For Tracie Lopes — half of the husband-and-wife kumu team of hula halau Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e — being overall champions of the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival’s hula competition is a “great birthday present.”
The students of Lopes and her husband, Keawe, surrounded her on the Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium stage early Sunday morning. Mere moments after the Oahu halau was awarded the Lokalia Montgomery Perpetual Trophy — the ultimate piece of hula hardware — the haumana sang “Happy Birthday” to her. In Hawaiian, of course.
The serenade was belated, as Lopes’ birthday was Saturday. That said, her halau, friends and well-wishers can be forgiven if the musical homage was an hour or so tardy. Her wahine were busy on the kumu’s birthday, winning the kahiko (ancient hula) and placing fourth in the ‘auana (modern hula) categories to take the overall and wahine overall titles at the “Olympics of Hula.”
“It’s just such a blessing to have your name called, to begin with, and I’m just so grateful that the judges enjoyed it,” Lopes told the Tribune-Herald, adding that Keawe Lopes was also born in April.
The halau’s winning kahiko was “Hanakahi,” in honor of Princess Ruth Ke‘elikolani, which contains lyrical descriptions of Hilo, the home of Hanakahi, the famed warrior chief. Their ‘auana was “Ku‘u Lei.” The mele was composed by Bina Mossman, a music student of Queen Lili‘uokalani.
The overall top three winners were all wahine groups, and the Lopeses’ victory was by no means a landslide. Their score was just a point higher than that of Oahu’s Halau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, under the direction of na kumu hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching and Lopaka Igarta-De Vera.
In third place, another digit back, was last year’s women’s and overall champions, Kauai’s Halau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leina‘ala.
“Oh, my gosh, we’re just thrilled. Beyond thrilled,” said kumu hula Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin, a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Hilo who received her ‘uniki, Hilo’s formal graduation, from the late Hilo kumu hula Rae Fonseca.
“It was a wonderful, wonderful weekend of hula. And hula is alive and well, big time.”
On Thursday, Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e’s Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionamakua Thronas Brown was crowned Miss Aloha Hula for 2023. She was the halau’s third consecutive haumana to claim the most prestigious title a hula dancer can attain.
“It’s kind of an out-of-body feeling right now,” Tracie Lopes said after Thursday’s win. “Agnes is such a wonderful student and girl. I’ve known her since the time she was in her mom, and I’m just so happy for her.”
According to Brown, she was “shocked” when she was announced as the winner.
“I’m just completely overwhelmed with great gratitude, and I’m humbled for this great opportunity,” she said. “I owe all my accomplishments, this recognition with my kumu hula, who have guided me so much.”
The first runner-up Thursday was Breeze Ann Kalehuaonalani Vidinha Pavao, Pavao Jardin’s student and daughter.
For the second straight year, the kane overall title went to Maui’s Halau Kekuaokala‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of na kumu hula Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes. Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu was second. Oahu’s Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, under the direction of kumu hula Kaleo Trinidad, claimed third place.
Oahu’s Halau Hi‘iakainamakalehua, under the direction of na kumu hula Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV and Lono Padilla, took the ‘auana categories for both wahine and kane. Ka‘upu, a Hilo native from Keaukaha, danced for both Fonseca and the late Hilo kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho. He and Padilla earned their ‘uniki from Padilla’s mother, Maui hula master Hokulani Holt.
Their kane ‘auana, which earned the full-throated approval of the crowd, was danced to Lum Ho’s “Ka Rodeo O Waimea.” The dancers, sporting paniolo finery, portrayed the cowboys, riding and roping, as well as the horses and the cattle. Ka‘upu said the choreography — with the exception of the ka‘i and ho‘i, the entrance and exit — was Lum Ho’s.
“That mele was done in 2003 — 20 years ago, by Uncle Johnny — and I was in that line,” he said. “That was my last year (as a dancer) for Merrie Monarch. Coincidentally, 20 years later, we’re doing it. And I get to teach my boys about where I come from and my kumu.
“I’m super happy with the way they represented not just Hi‘iakainamakalehua, but my kumu, Uncle Johnny, and Hilo.
The halau’s wahine ‘auana was danced to John K. Almeida’s “Lei Pua Melia,” which the legendary composer penned to honor 1946 Lei Queen Po‘omaikelani Kawananakoa. Decked out in green floral print gowns, the ladies wore and bore plumeria of several hues — and gave lei to men sitting in front upon their stage exit.
“Between me and Lono, we have extensive history with May Day,” Ka‘upu said. “His grandmother and his aunt were lei queens for Honolulu. My grandmother and my great-great grandmother being lei people and lei queens, as well as my sister, in Hilo, they were kind of the inspirations for this.”
Accompanying both presentations was Lum Ho’s popular halau band — Kuana Torres Kahele, Mark Yamanaka and Bert Naihe on guitars and vocals, and Edward Atkins on electric bass.
Three Hawaii Island halau competed Saturday — Halau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani and Halau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaehu from Hilo, and Halau Kala‘akeakauikawekiu from Kailua-Kona. Kahikilaulani brought kane and wahine. None placed on the judges’ score sheets.
All, however, were winners with the audience.
Kathy Kawelu, the Merrie Monarch vice president and right hand to her mother, President “Aunty Luana” Kawelu, reflected Sunday on the 60th anniversary of Hilo’s premier event.
“It seems like people enjoyed themselves,” she said. “There was a lot of activity at the parade and the craft fair. And the crowd in the stadium was excellent.
“It seems like people were happy to have us back in full force, and we’re happy that folks enjoyed it.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
