Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 4, 1 April 2022 — Merrie Monarch Festival Welcomes Back a Live Audience This Year [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Merrie Monarch Festival Welcomes Back a Live Audience This Year

By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi It was mid-March 2020, and Luana Kawelu, president of the Merrie Monarch Festival, had an important decision to make. The virus causing the deadly COVID-19 disease was spreading around the globe, and Hawai'i was not spared: Infections and COVID-19 cases throughout the islands were rising rapidly. But 22 hālau were slated to perform at the festival - the most prestigious and lon-gest-running hula event in the world - and they had already paid for airfare and costumes; made meal plans; booked vans, musicians and accommodations; and were in full swine with Dractice sessions.

"It was a very difficult decision to make, but I had to eaneel the 2020 festival," Kawelu said. "It was less than a month from when the hālau were supposed to take the stage, but health and safety were and continue to be the top priorities." In 2021 the festival resumed as a virtual event, with 15 hālau dancing at Hilo's Edith Kanaka'ole Multipurpose Stadium

ffom June 24-26 with no live audience - only the judges and a television crew from K5 before them. K5 broadcast the performances on July 1-3. For this year's 59th annual event, 18 hālau will be eompeting before a live, albeit limited, audience comprising family members, helpers and longtime festival sponsors. Tickets were not sold to the general puhlie. "Some people might ask why we didn't completely open the festival this year because restrictions are loosening, but we had to submit a COVID-19 plan to the county in February," Kawelu said. "It's not possible to make last-minute changes for an event of this size, so we are sticking to that plan." Spectators must wear masks and be fully vaccinated. IDs, temperatures and vaccination cards will be checked at the entrance, and the audience will be spaced at least two seats apart. Live singing wasn't allowed last year, so all the music was pre-recorded. This year, chanters, vocalists and musicians will again accompany the hālau in person. "I'm excited to see things moving in the right direction," Kawelu said. "Hula is the heart ofwho Hawaiians are as a people. The Merrie Monarch Festival celebrates that; it's where people who love and appreciate hula ean connect, share and be inspired." Chinky Māhoe concurs. He is the kumu hula of Kawaili'ulā, based in Kailua and at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa on O'ahu, whieh will be making its 31st appear-

anee at this year's festival. Last year, they captured first plaee in all three Kāne categories (Kahiko, Auana and Overall) and were named the festival's Overall Winner. "The Merrie Monarch Festival is vital to the Hawaiian community," Māhoe said. "It perpetuates hula, an art form that has multigenerational appeal. I've had mother and daughter, father and daughter, and father and son dancing in the same line at Merrie Monarch. I think the festival has awakened us as Hawaiians, so that in addition to hula, there are now more people speaking the language; singing and writing mele; and reviving traditions such as lua, pa'i 'ai, lau hala weaving and kapa and lei-making." Although only about 1,800 people will be in attendance this year, compared to the pre-pandemic full house of close to 6,000, Māhoe said, "Opening up even a little is a start to normalcy. My hālau is looking forward to having their loved ones in the stadium again to see them dance. Merrie Monarch brings together families, spotlights our culture and shows what aloha is all about. It has touched people around the world." Hālau Kekuaokalā'au'ala'iliahi from Wailuku, Maui, led by kumu hula Joy Haunani Paredes and her husband, 'Iliahi, won six awards last year: third plaee for Wāhine Kahiko, first plaee for Wāhine Auwana and Wāhine Overall and second plaee for Kāne 'Auana, Kāne Overall and Overall Winner. They will be competing at Merrie

Monarch for the 10th time this year. Paredes recalled that in 2020, their largest group ever was planning to make the trip to Hilo - 28 kāne and 35 wāhine. When she and 'Iliahi gathered their students and 'ohana to share the news that the festival was eancelled, everyone burst into tears. "For our high school seniors, who were preparing to head off to college and would not be participating at Merrie Monarch for a while, it was doubly heartbreaking," Paredes said. "Still, we fully supported Aunty Luana's decision, whieh was based on protecting our lāhui. We, as the kumu, now had the kuleana to infuse hope and motivation in our haumāna. We told them hula resides deep within us, and although Merrie Monarch 2020 would not be happening, we all must keep the flame of hula burning bright within us." And they have. Hālau Kekuaokalā'au'ala'iliahi is thrilled to be able to dance before a live audience again. "Nothing compares to the electrifying vibe that we feel when we're surrounded by a crowd of hula enthusiasts," Paredes said. "Hula has given us so many gifts - of 'ike, history, culture, family and friendship. Hula connects us to and teaches us the ways of our kūpuna. It guides us in all that we do to be the best kānaka and community members that we ean be. We regard the Merrie Monarch Festival as an essential part of the encyclopedia of Hawaiian culture." For the Merrie Monarch Festival's 60th anniversary next year, Kawelu hopes the Edith Kanaka'ole Multipurpose Stadium will onee again be filled to capacity. "We are strong, we are resilient," she said. "We are going to return 100 percent, and it's going to be wonderful!" ■ Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi has written 12 books and countless newspaper, magazine and website articles about Hawai'i's history, culture,food and lifestyle.

Luana Kawelu, President of the Merrie Monarch Festival. - Photo: Courtesy of the Meme Monarch Festival.

The men of Kawaili'ulō perform during a past Merrie Monarch Festivol. - Photo: Merrie Monarch Festival/Cody Yamaguchi.

The ladies of Hōlau Kekuaokalā'au'ala'iliahi perform durina a past Merrie Monarch Festival. - Photo: Merrie Monarcn Festival/Coay Yamaguchi.