By Wanda A. Adams
Assistant Features Editor

HILO, Hawai'i — Kumu hula John Kaimikaua believes that Moloka'i is "ka piko hula" — meaning the navel or belly button, by implication, the place where hula is born or centered.

But just for this week, I think he'd forgive us if we think of Hilo as "ka piko hula" — because, during the Merrie Monarch Festival, this town by the bay becomes a place where hula is at the center of everything.

You begin to feel the pull of the piko as soon as you arrive at the Hilo departure gate in the airport.

In Honolulu, we saw members of the Japanese halau Puanani Takahashi's Hula Studio, all fitted out in pink T-shirts with faux lei printed on them. They'll perform at tomorrow night's free Ho'ike (hula show) and were clearly all aflutter to be on home ground of the dance they have adopted.

I didn't know what to think of the man wearing a T-shirt the color of lime Kool-Aid imprinted with the words "Hula is a four-letter word." I speculated that he it might be one of the Hiloans I've heard about who don't much enjoy Merrie Monarch weekend because of the crowds and the driving slowdowns that in Hilo pass for traffic jams.

But the truth is always stranger than whatever you can make up: Turned out he was Bryan Modene of Reno, Nev., whose wife, Shari, is longtime and enthusiastic member of the Reno division of Halau Keali'i O Nalani, Keali'i Ceballos Los Angeles, Calif., hula school. The two are in town to cheer on Shari's hula brothers and sisters.

Modene said he does like hula but one day he got a little fed up with his wife's busy schedule of classes and rehearsals. "It was more hula, more hula, more hula until I said to her, 'Hula is becoming a four-letter word around here.'" The T-shirt was a friend's attempt to memorialize the moment.

I think maybe he needs a little sticker or button to add to the message: "Nah, nah, only joking but." Otherwise, that shirt could be dangerous in this hula-crazed environment.

Landing in Hilo before the madness really commences (most halau and many spectators begin to arrive tomorrow), we breezed through the airport, making note of one group that was unloading plastic tubs the size of small refrigerators filled with costumes and hula implements.

We made a quick visit to the Merrie Monarch office in the Naniloa hotel to pick up our programs. executgive director Auntie Dottie Thompsson looks great but new TV commentator and longtime judge kumu hula Noenoelani Zuttermeister refused to honi (kiss) — she's desperately fighting off a cold.

At the Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium, we received our credentials from asisstant director Luana Kawelu (Dottie's daughter) and confirmed the news we'd heard in town: Kumu hula Sissy Lilinaoe Ka'io of Carson, Calif., has been hospitalzed and won't be able to see the men of her halau Na Pua Me Kealoha perform, but the kane are coming to compete anyway. And Kailua-Kona kumu hula Jay Jay Ahulau Akiona has been in and out of the hospital, too, but Kukui Malamama O Kona will perform as scheduled.

There are always setbacks of this sort, but the show always goes on.

Off to try the new Cafe Hilo, hottest new restaurant in ka piko hula!

A hui hou!