Hilo's Natasha Oda wins Miss Aloha Hula title; halau competition tonight
Advertiser Staff
HILO, Hawai'i — Hilo’s Natasha Kamalamalamaokalailokokapu‘uwaimehanaokekeikipunahele Oda won the Miss Aloha Hula title last night as the Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition opened at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium in Hilo.
Oda is a dancer with Halau Ka Ua Kani Lehua, the school led by kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho. She was one of 13 contestants in the women’s solo hula competition. The festival will continue tonight with group competition in ancient hula.
Natasha Oda
Here is a list of the halau in order of performance in tonight’s Merrie Monarch Festival hula kahiko competition (kumu hula listed in parentheses). Broadcast of the competition begins at 6 p.m. on KITV4.
• Halau I Ka W´kiu (Karl Veto Baker and Michael Nalanakila Casupang), Honolulu; wahine
• Halau Na Mamo O Ka‘ala (Noelani Chang), Wai‘anae; kane
• Ka Pa Nani O Lilinoe (Lilinoe Lindsey), ‘Aiea; wahine
• The Men of Halau Kahulaliwai (Blaine Ki‘a), Kailua; kane
• Halau Ho‘ola Ka Mana O Hawai‘i (Keli‘i Chang), Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, Texas; wahine
• Ka Pa Hula O Kamehameha (Holoua Stender), Honolulu; kane
• Halau O Na Pua Kukui (Ed Collier), Honolulu; wahine
• Halau Hula ‘O Kawaili‘ula (Chinky Mahoe), Kailua; wahine
• Halau Ka Ua Kilihune (Al Barcarse), Kane‘ohe; kane
• Halau Keali‘i O Nalani (Keali‘i Ceballos), Los Angeles; wahine
• Puka‘ikapuaokalani (Ellen Castillo), Waimanalo; wahine
• Halau Ho‘ola Ka Mana O Hawai‘i; wahine
• Halau Ka Ua Kani Lehua (Johnny Lum Ho), Hilo; wahine
• Halau Kealakapawa (Michael Canopin), Honolulu; wahine
INTERMISSION
• Halau Ka Ua Kani Lehua; kane
• Halau Mohala ‘Ilima (Mapuana de Silva), Kailua; wahine
• Ka Pa Hula O Kamehameha; wahine
• Halau Hula ‘O Kawaili‘ula; kane
• Moana’s Hula Halau (Moana and Raquel Dudoit), Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i; wahine
• Na Hula ‘O Kaohikukapulani (Kapu Kinimaka-Alquiza), Hanap´p´; wahine
• Keolalaulani Halau ‘Olapa ‘O Laka (Aloha Dalire), Kane‘ohe; kane
• Halau Hula O Hok¨lani (Hokulani DeRego), Waipahu; wahine
• Halau O Ke ‘Anuenue (Glenn Vasconcellos), Hilo; wahine
• Halau Ke Kia‘i A O Hula (Kapi‘olani Ha‘o), Honolulu; kane
• Halau Hula Olana (Howard and Olana Ai), ‘Aiea; wahine
• Keolalaulani Halau ‘Òlapa ‘O Laka; wahine
• Halau O Na Pua Kukui (Ed Collier), Honolulu; kane
• Hula Halau O Kamuela (Paleka Leina‘ala Mattos and Kunewa Mook), Honolulu; wahine
Here are other results from last night's Miss Aloha Hula competition:
• First runner-up: Snowbird Puananiopaoakalani Bento, Ka Pa Hula O Kamehameha, Honolulu (kumu hula Holoua Stender).
• Second runner-up: Kahikina de Silva, Halau Mohala 'Ilima, Kailua (Mapuana de Silva).
• Third runner-up: Noelle Kameali'imailani Shiroma, Halau Hula Olana, 'Aiea (Olana A'i).
• Fourth runner-up: Kamealoha Elaban-Hall, Puka'ikapuaokalani, Waimanalo (Ellen Castillo).
• Hawaiian language award: Snowbird Puananiopaoakalani Bento.
Snowbird Bento
Kahikina de Silva
Noelle Shiroma
Kamealoha Elaban-Hall
• Advertiser online poll: Meanwhile, The Advertiser invited readers to participate in an online poll of their favorite Miss Aloha Hula contestant. Here are the results:
Makahilahila Lino, Halau Ke Kia‘i A O Hula, Honolulu
33
21.57 %
Natasha Oda, Halau Ka Ua Kani Lehua, Hilo
24
15.69 %
Noelle Kameali‘imailani Shiroma, Halau Hula Olana, ‘Aiea
19
12.42 %
Snowbird Puananiopaoakalani Bento, Ka Pa Hula O Kamehameha, Honolulu
15
9.80 %
Kahikina de Silva, Halau Mohala ‘Ilima, Kailua
15
9.80 %
Kamealoha Elaban-Hall, Puka‘ikapuaokalani, Waimanalo
8
5.23 %
Cyd La‘ie Gasper, Halau Ka Ua Kilihune, Kane‘ohe
7
4.58 %
Meleoka‘uka‘ulele Hiraiwa, Halau Keali‘i O Nalani, Los Angeles
6
3.92 %
Tamra Leilani Porter, Halau Ka Waikahe Lani Malie, Kailua
6
3.92 %
Darmaine Noriko Hokulani Taba, Halau O Na Pua Kukui, Honolulu
6
3.92 %
Eileen Maihiokalani Estenzo, Na Hula ‘O Kaohikukapulani, Hanapepe
5
3.27 %
Erika Kanai Kealoha, Halau Na Mamo O Ka‘ala, Wai‘anae
5
3.27 %
Kaylee Weyker, Halau Ho‘ola Ka Mana O Hawai‘i, Dallas
4
2.61 %
TOTAL
153
100.00 %
