Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 8, 1 August 2021 — Miss Aloha Hula Competition Winners [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Miss Aloha Hula Competition Winners

Ho'omaika'i to Rosemary Ka'imilei KeamoaiStrickland who won the coveted title of Miss Aloha Hula at the 2021 Merrie Monarch Festival last month. Keamoai-Strickland dances with hula hālau Ka Lā 'Ōnohi Mai O Ha'eha'e under nā Kumu Hula Keawe and Tracie Lopes. Her hula kahiko was Hanohano 'O Lehua whieh commemorated Queen Kapi' olani's visit to Kaua'i and Ni'ihau to promote her Ho'oulu Lāhui campaign to increase the Hawaiian nation. Her hula 'auana was Hanohano Hapuuhale, a mele inoa composed by Kumu Keawe in honor of 'Anakē Lolena Nicholas, a Ni' ihau native and renowned 'ōlelo Hawai'i advocate. In second plaee was Ashley Kilioulaninuiamamaoho'opi'iwahinekapulokeokalaniākea Lai who dances with Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea, under the direction of Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe. Rounding out the Miss Aloha Hula competition was Maka'ala Kahikinaokalālani Victoria Perry who took third plaee. Perry was also this year's winner of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Hawaiian Language Award. She dances with Ke Kai O Kahiki, under the direction of Kumu Hula La'akea Perry. ■

Photos: Courtesy of the Merrie Monarch Festival

Keamoai-Strickland - Photo: Bruce Omori

5% .._ Lai - Photo: Cody Yamaguchi

Perry - Photo: Bruce Omori