The Merrie Monarch Festival’s Wednesday night Ho‘ike featured a tribute to the original crew of the Polynesian Voyaging Society double-hulled canoe Hokule‘a, which returned to Hilo earlier this week for the first time since leaving on a world tour in 2014.
Performances included Halau O Kekuhi under the direction of co-kumu hula Nalani Kanaka‘ole Zane and Huihui Kanahele-Mossman; Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela Iapana under the direction of co-kumu hula Kau‘ionalani Kamana‘o, Kunewa Mook and and Ako Kubota, Ka Pa Hula O Ka Lei Lehua under the direction of Snowbird Bento; and Halau Na Kamalei O Lililehua under the direction of Robert Cazimero.
The festival’s three-night hula competition starts at 6 p.m. today with 12 women vying for the coveted title Miss Aloha Hula.
For a full story, visit our Merrie Monarch page at www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/tag/merrie-monarch-festival/.