Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 3, 1 March 2016 — Merrie [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Merrie

By Francine Kananionapua , Murray

^Celebrat^^™ [ 130 years since ( ' the revival \ of hula with Mem'e Monarch

\jm here's a collective gasp and then silence I V J Ē as everyone in the Edith Kanaka'ole Sta- / m dium anticipates that first oli, by the first m performer, on the first competitive night of " — the Merrie Monarch Festival. The feeling is hard to put into words. There was a time when hula was suppressed, practically forbidden. In spite of that, in 1886 King David Kalākaua threw a lavish party for his fiftieth birthday, the Silver Jubilee. The celebration featured ho'opa'a (ancient chanting and drumming) and 'ōlapa hula. That was the beginning of the revival of hula. This year we celebrate 130 years since the Merrie

Monarch's Silver Jubilee in the 53rd Annual Merrie Monarch Festival. "I enjoy everything about Merrie Monarch, whieh is Hawai'i Island's cultural event of the year and a magnet for thousands of people who provide a major boost to our loeal economy," said OHA Chairperson Robert K. Findsey Jr., who annually presents the Hawaiian Fanguage award during the Miss Aloha Hula competition. "While watching it on TV is truly an experience, there is nothing like being there - in the moment. There's absolutely nothing like feeling the emotions of the dancers, seeing their beautiful and handsome faces, hearing the

cheers of the crowd, smelling the fragrance of the flowers, ti leaves, and ferns and listening to beautiful music and the sounds of the pahu." "What I enjoy the most is being around people with the same general feel," shared Billy Van Osdol of the KFVE TV broadcast team. "There's an excitement and reverence for the culture, 'ōlelo and hula, an appreciation for Kumu Hula, kōkua and hālau. It's a gathering of the best musicians of Hawaiian music on the planet. The aloha spirit permeates all that surrounds you -Jk in Hilo. It's the feel of the people C and plaee around you for a special occasion that is the Merrie Monarch Festival." If you are in Hilo for the festival, take it all in and enjoy, festival events are listed (see sidebar). There are also special events at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center and

around town. If you are J watching on TV, the Best of Merrie Monarch 2014 and 2015 will broadcast / on Sunday, March 27 on KFVE, along X with exclusive interviews of various hālau thrughout the week, and the rebroadcast of the eom-

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