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today, is the first knight of hula competition, at the world renowned
merrie monarch hula festival, in
hilo,
hawaii. the competition is held
thursday,
friday &
saturday,
april 8-10. tonight is the miss aloha hula competition, where the ladies take the stage, dancing solo, in both
kahiko(ancient style) and
auwana(modern style). you can view the competition live, for free, on-line
here. if you haven't seen authentic hula dancing before, now is your chance, as the best hula dancers in the world compete for this prestigious honor. you will be amazed at the drama, pageantry, live
hawaiian music, beauty & grace of this annual event. tomorrow, the
halau(group)
kahiko competition starts. the ladies and gentlemen, compete as groups, covering the entire stage with beautiful, authentic
hawaiian adornments and freshly strung, flower leis, enveloping the stadium with sweet perfume. together, they strive to dance as one.
saturday, is
halau auwana knight, where live
hawaiian bands accompany each
halau performance. this is also the final knight and awards are given out. this year, marks the 47
th year, of the
merrie monarch festival, which is named after king
david kalakaua,
hawaii's merrie monarch, who helped revive and perpetuate the
hawaiian culture.
my home town, competes in this competition for the last 30 years. their halau name is "hula halau o' kamuela," and they are the defending world champions from
waimanalo,
hawaii; dominating this competition over the years. i am so proud of them, but most of all, like my king
tay tay, i love their beauty & grace.