Hawaii Tribune-Herald Sunday, March 27, 2016 3 2016 MERRIE MONARCH FESTIVAL HEARTBEAT OF TRADITION 53rd annual Merrie Monarch Festival kicks o today During his reign, from 1874 until his death in 1891, the Merrie Monarch revived traditional Hawaiian dance and other cultural customs and practices previously banned in the name of Christian values. So, he would no doubt be pleased the Merrie Monarch Festival and its hula competition makes Hilo the epicenter of the hula world and Hawaii’s focal point for the week starting Easter Sunday each year. As always, Merrie Monarch week kicks off today with Ho‘olaule‘a, a free, allday celebration of hula and Polynesian dance starting at Hilo’s Halau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani 9 a.m. at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. For the past two years, Johnny Lum Ho’s Halau O Ka Ua Kani Lehua of Hilo has drawn a large crowd to the event. This year, however, Lum Ho and his charges Kumu hula Robert Uluwehi Cazimero of Halau Na Kamalei O Liliehua reacts to the announcement that his halau is the overall Photos by HOLLYN JOHNSON/Tribune-Herald winner of the 2015 Merrie Monarch Festival. Story by JOHN BURNETT ◆ Hawaii Tribune-Herald “Hula is the language of the heart, and therefore, the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people,” King David Kalakaua once said. ◆ ◆ ◆ See HEARTBEAT Page 4
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