Kaua`i Mokihana Festival News

Hula 2005 Winners and Awards

Kaua'i Mokhana Festival
Press Release September 25, 2005 -final w/captions
TO: All Media

FROM: Kaua`i Mokihana Festival Email: KMFKauai@msn.com
PO Box 13, Kapaa, HI 96746
Media contact: Carol Bain, 808-246-2111

KAUA`I MOKIHANA FESTIVAL
2005 Hula Results by Category

Kekaha, Kaua`i - Loyal festival goers and hula dancers let nothing deter them. Chanting the theme “Adjust, Come On, You Can Do It” the attendees and participants of the annual Kaua`i Mokihana Festival did not let a little power failure stop them from completing the hula competition at the Kekeha Neighborhood Center Saturday night. When the electric generator failed the third time at the hula mound, all just picked up and moved under the lit pavilion with barely a sign of complaint.

Gazing up at fluorescent bulbs instead of Kekaha stars, Rosemary Lokemele Kamana`o of Halau Pomaika`ikalani danced to the song “Palehua” which won her the 2005 title Mrs Mokihana Hula. Thomas Kawai Sellers of Halau Nawaipunalei is this year's Mr. Hula Auana who danced “He Aloha Ku`u Aina”.

Halau from Japan, Maui, `Oahu, and Kaua`i performed over three consecutive evenings last week, moving from two days at the Sheraton Kaua`i Poipu Resort to the Kekaha Neighborhood Center for the hula finale and ho`olaulea on Saturday. A complete listing of 2005 results is below:

NAME OF HALAU: SONG: KUMU HULA:
Group Kaikamahine (Kahiko Nei) category-
2nd Place – Halau Nawaipunalei: “He Makana Ke Aloha”, Pono & Leimomi Murray
1st Place – Halau Ka Lei Mokihana `O Leina`ala, “Lei Mokihana”, Leina`ala Pavao

Group Wahine (Kahiko Nei) category-
3rd Place – Halau Nawaipunalei “HanaoHano Kekaha”, Pono & Leimomi Murray
2nd Place – Halau Pomaika`ilani: “Nou e Ka Lani”, Renee Kamana`o-Bulosan
1st Place – Halau Ka Lei Mokihana ` Leina`ala: “Ki`ekie O Kamaile”, Leina`ala Pavao

Group Kaikamahine Auana-
2nd Place – Halau Nawaipunalei: “Kuiulei Mokihana”, Pono & Leimomi Murray
1st Place Halau Ka Lei Mokihana `O Leina`ala: “He Mele Lau La`i”, Leina`ala Pavao

Hui/Ohana Auana-
2nd Place – Hula Halau Kahula `O Hawai`i: “Waikiki Hula”, Kyoko Kubokawa
1st Place – Halau O Liko Lehua: “Ke Anu O Waimea”, Renee Kamana`o-Bulosan

Group Kupuna Auana-
3rd Place – La`akea Dance Productions, Michael Dela Cruz
2nd Place - Hula Halau Pikake Terenuma: “E Pili Mai”, Kumu Hula Setsuko Terenuma
1st Place ––Halau Na Wahine O Ka Uluwehi Ola: “Nohili E”, Kumu Hula Joan S. Lindsey

Group Wahine Auana-
3rd Place – Halau Pomaika`ilani: “Wahikuli”, Renee Kamana`o Bulosan
2nd Place – Halau Nawaipunalei “Honoa`ula`ula”, Pono & Leimomi Murray
1st Place – Halau Ka Lei Mokihana `o Leina`ala: “He Nani Kekaha”, Leina`ala Pavao

WINNER: HALAU:

Solo Opio Kane-
1st Place – Shaun Pilialoha Kamakea-Young: Halau Pomaikaikalani

Solo Opio Wahine-
2nd Place – Samantha Kennebeck: Halau Pomaikaiklani
1st Place – Rochelle Garvida: Halau Ka Lei Mokihana `O Leina`ala

Kupuna Mokihana Hula-
3rd Place – Leonida Kalehua Perez: Halau Pomaika`ilani
2nd Place – Aukele Ku`ulei Kahakai: Na Wahine O Ka Uluwehi Ola
1st Place – Elizabeth Azeka: Halau Ka Lei Mokihana ` Leina`ala

Mrs. Mokihana Hula-
3rd Place – Reiko Kohama: Halau Kahula `O Hawai`i
2nd Place – Kehaulani Munoz Rand: Halau Nawaipunalei
1st Place – Rosemary Lokemele Kamana`o: Halau Pomaika`ikalani

Mr. Hula Auana-
2nd Place – Masato Watanabe: Halau Na Pua Mai Ka Lani
1st Place – Thomas Kawai Sellers: Halau Nawaipunalei

Special Awards:

Award: Winner Name: Halau:

• Margaret Aipoalani Music Award: Nawaipunalei Serenaders, Halau Nawai Punalei

• James Kimo Auwae Choreography Award: Kumu Hula Leina`ala Pavao, Halau Ka Lei Mokihana `O Leina`ala

• Hawaiian Language: Na Kumu Hula Pono & Leimomi Murray, Halau Nawaipunalei

• Henry Moikehe Pa Ho`opa Award: Na Kumu Hula Pono & Leimomi Murray, Halau Nawaipunalei

• Aloha Festival Royal Court Choice Award: Kahula `O Hawaii, Kumu Hula Kyoko Kubokawa, Japan

• George Kananiokeakua Holoka`i Overall Award: Kumu Hula Renee Kamana`o-Bulosan, Halau Pomaikaikalani

The lucky drawing winner of the beautiful koa-maple `ukulele, handcrafted and donated by Masami Kouchi was Bryson Poai. The accompanying hand-stitched case was donated by Jill Kouchi. All proceeds went to the Malie Scholarship fund.

Donars included: Ed Stumpe, Taiko Maru, A&B Foundation, Kukui`Ula Development, Kenui Aloha International. Events sponsored in part by Hawai`i Tourism Authority & The County of Kaua`i Office of Economic Development.

Judges include: Music judges: Doric Kaleonui Yaris and Kunane Aipoalani

Hula judges: Hulali Solomon Covington, Ipolani Vaughan, Moses Crabbe, Leialoha Amina, Hawaiian Language judge: Wayne Panoke. Choreography judge: James Kimo Auwae

Master of Ceremony: Maka Herrod. Festival coordinator: Nathan Kalama.

Auditors: Hui O Kamaka Okalani

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