Hawaii Tribune-Herald Sunday, April 16, 2017 23 By JOHN BURNETT Hawaii Tribune-Herald HO‘IKE The three nights of competition hula during the Merrie Monarch Festival is Hilo’s hottest ticket of the year, but some of the festival’s finest entertainment is free of charge. Wednesday’s night’s Ho‘ike features all the pomp and pageantry of the hula competition, starting at 6 p.m. with the entrance of the Merrie Monarch Royal Court at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi- Purpose Stadium. And that’s just a prelude to first-rate hula plus live music and dance from the Philippines and Mexico. A word to the wise: There are no tickets and admission to the show is free on a first-come, first-served basis. That means people line up outside the stadium hours in advance to secure their spot inside. Hilo’s own Halau O Kekuhi, under the direction of kumu hula Nalani Kanaka‘ole, celebrates its 20th anniversary of consecutive appearances in the exhibition program with its aiha‘a style of hula and oli (chant). Their dance is a bent-kneed, powerful, bombastic style of hula that springs from the eruptive volcano persona Pele and Hi‘iaka, characteristic of Hawaii Island’s creative forces. According to Kanaka‘ole, the halau’s performance will center on Hi‘iakaikapoliopele’s travels through Kohala. “At first, there will be mele that references an earlier migration of the Pele clan, showcasing the environmental impact of the battle of Pele and Namakaokaha‘i while sailing for Hawaii with the Kohala coast in sight. Hi‘iaka learns of this ‘history of Pele’ as she heals the kahuna Malaeha‘akoa on Kauai, the keeper of the history of Pele’s migration,” she said. The opening oli will feature “Ike Ia Kaukini He Lawai’a Manu” and “A Koa‘ekea I Pueohulunui.” Kanaka‘ole said Kaukini “is the bird catcher and native to the cliffs of Hulaana.” 2017 Merrie Monarch Festival Hi‘iaka enters Kohala at Mahiki, known today as Mud Lane, the grassy plains between Honokaa and Waimea, to battle Mahiki, the mo‘o. “The mele provides perfect imagery, describing the winds and rains of the area that funnel through Waimea, down to Kawaihae, Puako, Lahuipua‘a, and as far as ‘Anaeho‘omalu. The hula reflects the beauty and force of these winds and accompanying rains with the feathered gourd,” Kanaka‘ole explained. “From Mahiki, Hi‘iaka travels above the valleys, over the top of Pololu to Kohalaloko. At Pu‘uhue she battles a relative, Mo‘olauwahine with her choice of weapon: her pa‘u. For this hula, we employ the bamboo spear, her second choice of weapon. The mele speaks of Pu‘uhue and the conflicting winds with red dust cloud spirals, and a grasslands in constant movement.” Hi‘iaka then leaves Hawaii island for Maui, offering a chant to the woman of Pu‘uepa, Mookini, before departure. “We feature one of the older hula in our repertoire, ‘Ke Welina Mai Nei Ke Kini O Lalo,’ with a hula step called the welina featured in the entire dance,” Kanaka‘ole said. “The chant is from Waipi‘o Valley during Liloa’s time when the gods Kane and Kanaloa resided on the highest cliffs and their merriment could be heard in the valley below. This is our kunou, nod, to Waipi‘o as being the earliest environments to inspire hula, as the place where hula developed out of its beauty and the raw power incoming from the cliffs.” Kona’s Halau Kala‘akeakauikawekiu, under the direction of Aloha Victor, also will perform, as will Na ‘Ohana O Kahikilaulani O Mexico, affiliated with Hilo’s Halau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani, a product of international outreach by the late kumu hula Rae Fonseca. The halau, led by Aida Araceli Garcia Cruz, Brenda Marissa Morales Arzate and Esperanza Rosalinda Paredes Hernandez will perform hula and Mexican folk dances, said Luana Kawelu, the Merrie A Merrie Monarch tradition See HO‘IKE Page 24 Halau O Kekuhi performs during the 2016 Merrie Monarch Festival. HOLLYN JOHNSON/ Tribune-Herald
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