Thank you Brittany for sharing your experience of competing at the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. Both Brittany and Lonny are employees of Hawaiian Fire and have
some serious talent! Congratulations!
The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival
(April 8 – 10, 2010)
By Brittany
Every year, hundreds of people flock to the Big Island of Hawaii and head to the Edith Kanaka`ole Stadium to see a competition like no other. The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival is held on the Wednesday through the Saturday after Easter Sunday every year. I too were one of them; I took a break from Hawaiian Fire for the weekend of Hawaiian festivities.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with hula, it is the Hawaiian style of dance. Kahiko is the simplest and traditional style, in which dance is accompanied by chanting and the beats of an ipu (gourd) or a pahu (drum). Auana is the most commonly seen especially in movies or amongst hotels in Waikiki. In this style, contemporary musical instruments accompany dance.
This competition is so intense that some people within the Hawaiian community would consider the competition the "Olympics of Hula." Only the best of the best compete at the competition for female soloist, as well as group performances for men and women. The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival committee selects which halaus (schools of hula) will participate in this prestigious event. Fortunately my halau, Halau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniakea, was asked to participate in this year’s competition. After months of preparation, research, workshops, and long intense practices, it all came down to this weeklong festival.
It seemed as though I stepped off the plane into Hilo and was immediately surrounded by the spirit of hula. My group, consisting of 22 women, prepared for taking the stage on the competition nights, Friday and Saturday. Everything we did was all in the spirit of hula. We visited the volcano just outside of Hilo to chant, dance, and offer our adornments to Pele (of the Hawaiian goddesses).
FRIDAY APRIL 9, 2010 (Group Kahiko Competition)
For our Kahiko (traditional style) performance, we adorned ourselves with ti leaf skirts. Because of the current drought that the Big Island was experiencing, ti leaves were difficult to get. We picked and ordered leaves, spent hours tying leaves onto fabric, and after two days of work between practices, we each had two "fresh" skirts made out of ti leaves for our costume. We danced a song about two individuals having a conversation on how to "catch" or capture the attention of a man. I must say if a hula skirt flying in the air was how they would catch a man in old Hawaii, my group would have gotten the attention of many with our skirts flying everywhere!
Finishing our skirts:
SATURDAY APRIL 9, 2010 Auana Competition
Our Auana was a song about beautiful Ola'a, a city on the Big Island, and the love for someone who is your i'iwi bird (a native Hawaiian bird). We spent the past 3 months creative our lei hulu (adornments for our head and neck made out of feathers). We had to prep each feather! I must have gone through thousands of individual feathers, but it was all worth it. It was so beautiful with our costume.
My Group’s Auana Performance:
I still look back to this day and think about the hard work and I am impressed with what I have accomplished. I have a better appreciation for hula and what the competition is all about. There are a lot of halaus (schools of hula) that compete and yet there can only be a certain amount of winners. No matter who comes away with an award, they are all incredible. I can only imagine what each group has gone through to attain their place on the Merrie Monarch stage. I congratulate all that have participated because you are all amazing dancers!
I came across Hawaiian Fire's surf instructor Lon! He was there competing in his halau, Halau I Ka Wekiu! They placed in both Kahiko and Auana Competition. Great Job!
For those of you who would like to see and experience the entire festival, I would suggest heading to the Hilo, Hawaii on the Tuesday before the competition. There are events such as the Hoike (exhibition or noncompetitive dances), which are showcased on Wednesday night at the stadium, shows held throughout the different venues in Hilo, craft fairs of local Hawaiian treasures, as well as a parade. In any case you will enjoy the spirit of aloha amongst everyone there!
