Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 11, 1 November 2014 — Popular hula kahiko contest returns to Waimea Valley [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Popular hula kahiko contest returns to Waimea Valley

By Katie Young Yamanaka Apieee of hula history will be revived in Waimea Valley this month, just in time to celebrate Makahiki. The Ke 'Alohi Hula Competition - a unique contest that pits the best of both wāhine and kāne hula dancers against eaeh other for the rights to one exclusive hula title - returns to the valley for the first time in two decades.

The Ke 'Alohi Hula Competition started in 1981 under the tutelage of kumu hula Pi'ilani Lua and features traditional kahiko hula dancing where ' both genders vie for the single title of "Ke 'Alohi O Waimea" (Waimea's Brilliant Hula Dancer). For those who frequented Waimea Valley in the '80s and f early '90s, the Ke 'Alohi Hula | Competition was an event not to be missed. "People have the fondest memories of this competition," said Budde Cabael, Waimea Valley eultural programs coordinator. "We wanted to see that happen again in the valley. It's almost like it was a pieee that was missing." Cabael, along with former Waimea Valley employee Jasmine Ortogero, both hula dancers themselves, were instrumental in

bringing the competition back. "My hope is that people will know this valley and that hula will be a part of it," says Cabael. "This location is part of what makes this

competition so unique. This is an additional opportunity for both residents and non-residents to learn about Hawai'i and the Hawaiians through hula." The original competition, whieh ran for 14 years, was spread out over a period of two days and featured between 15 and 20 dancers. "We were a hālau that entered the Merrie Monarch Festival for 10 years straight and the King

Kamehameha Hula Competition," says Pi'ilani Lua, the kumu hula, explaining how the competition began. "We felt that it would be niee to have our own, thus Ke 'Alohi was born and it grew to be quite a spectacular competition for solo ancient

(style) hula dancers." This year, the competition will start and finish in one day and showcase at least 10 dancers ranging in age from 18 to 30. Competitors eome from nearby community hālau as well as from other O'ahu hālau, many of whomare household names and a few who are regular competitors in the Merrie Monarch Festival. "We want this experience to be a coming together and a time for dancers to share what their hālau does," says Cabael. Hālau that have dancers competing are also invited to participate in the exhibition portion of the day's events as a way to show support for those competing. Judges for the competition include longtime solo hula dancer, entertainer and hula teacher Kealoha Kalama; original competition judge and kumu hula Keith Awai;

and former Miss Aloha Hula and kumu hula Kuhi Suganuma. Lua, for one, says she is honored that it is being brought back to the valley. "She gave us her blessing to move forward in the way that we see fit," says Cabael. Lua, who was kumu for the resident hālau, Hālau O Waimea, will be in attendance at this year's event. The third annual Makahiki Festival will also feature exhibitions by Hula Hālau Makana A Kealoha and Ke Kai O Kahiki, live music, loeal vendors, cultural activities, traditional Hawaiian games and competitions, artisans, workshops and demonstrations. ■ Katie Young Yamanaka, a Hilobased freelance writer whose work appears in loeal, national and international publications, is a former associate editor and columnist for MidWeek

Makahiki Festival Featuring the Ke 'Alohi Hula Competition When: Sat., Nov. 15, 10 a.m. Where: Waimea Valley upper meadow and amphitheater Cost: General admission is half-price for kama'āina and military. (Regularadmission is $10 for adult Hawai'i residents/$5 for seniors and keiki.) lnfo: 638-7766 or waimea valley.net

Photos from past Ke 'Alohi Hula eompetitions show clockwise from top, Noelani Texeira, Pualilia Tagalog and Darren Kama'ehu Quemado. - Courtesy photos