2007 'Iolani Luahine Hula Festival
The third annual He Lei Hiwa No Iolani Luahine Hula Scholarship Awards Festival was held on February 3, 2007 on the front lawn of the Kona Inn Shopping Village. Originally scheduled for November 2006, the Festival was rescheduled to early 2007, not only to honor its namesake whose birthday falls on Jan. 31 (it is a Hawaiian tradition that you do not honor a person’s life before their birthday), but also to allow for additional planning and preparation time.
This additional preparation time helped to make the festival very successful. Approximately 3000 people attended, creating a large and enthusiastic party, which could be seen from Alii Dr. near the King Kamehameha Hotel. Signs indicated the He Lei Hiwa No ‘Iolani Hula Scholarship Awards Festival in progress among brightly colored flowers and decorations. Music was played by entertainers (Pueo Pata and Darlene Ahuna) and hula students performed among much cheering and clapping. The food booth was totally inundated. The craft vendor booths could not be seen for the crush of bodies surrounding them. Tourists and locals sat down together under canopies protected from the hot noonday sun and watched happily, as each soloist performed his or her number. The crowd began to thin way after 5 p.m. when all the performers had finished their performance. Many stayed and waited for the second half of the program, which was a talk story with the judges, peers and relatives of the great hula dancer ‘Iolani Luahine - Aunty Hilda Keana’aina, Uncle George Naope, Queenie Dowsett, Poni Kamau’u and Hoakaleihina Kamau’u - and a sunset documentary film of her life and hula dance of ‘Iolani, the hula master herself. We feel sure that she would have been quite bemused by all of this activity in her honor.
See the 2007 Flyer
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Awards
Awards for the 2007 event were given as follows:
1st Place: $200 for Auana, $200 for Kahiko – Keiki, Opio, Makua, Kupuna
($200 x 8). Each soloist could be awarded multiple divisions. For
example,
$200.00 was awarded to Ramsey Kamelamela for Keiki Hula Kahiko Division
$200.00 was awarded to Ramsey Kamelamela for Keiki Hula ‘Auana Division
Ramsey Kamelamela for Keiki Hula Kahiko and ‘Auana Divisions
L – R, Rae Fonseca, Uncle George Na’ope, Ramsey Kamelamela
L- R, Aulii Fujimoto, Shirley K. Lindo, Queenie Dowsett
Participating halau are as follows
- Kumu Hula Rae Fonseca – Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani
- Kumu Hula Aloha Victor – Halau Kala’akeakauikawekiu
- Kumu Hula Masako Aketa – Hau’oli’a Masako Aketa Hula Studio
- Kumu Hula JayJay Akiona – Halau Hula Kukui Malamalama O Kona
- Kumu Hula Meleana Manuel – Ke Olu Makani O Mauna Loa
- Kumu Hula Tis’a Kalili – Hula Halau o Ka Moana Pakipika
'Iolani Luahine Hula Festival
The 'Iolani Luahine Hula Festival was established in 2003 with a
vision to perpetuate the hula. It also serves at a way to perpetuate
the memory of 'Iolani Luahine and her contributions to the preservation
of hula and the Hawaiian culture. The festival also provides opportunities
for worldwide halau to participate in the hula art and enables them
to build a relationship that ensures their long-term commitment to
the hula.
See the official He Lei Hiwa No 'Iolani Luahine Festival website for more Information!
About 'Iolani Luahine
'Iolani Luahine was born in 1915 in Nāpo'opo'o. 'Iolani Luahine
was admired as a famed hula dancer that preserved the ancient dance
traditions. She was trained by her aunt Keahi Luahine, and she taught
and coached her niece Hoakalei Kamau'u. Aunty 'Iolani’s superb talents,
attractiveness to audiences, and personal commitment kept the ancient
dance art from being lost. Her career is testament to the adage that
dances are passed down like myths, from one artist to another. 'Iolani
Luahine is one of Hawai'i’s premier performers and cultural treasures.