Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 5, 1 May 2000 — SPECIAL EVENTS FEATURE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SPECIAL EVENTS FEATURE

Kalihi-Pālama hula competition encourages cooperation

By Manu Boyd ĪHE BRAND-NEW Kapolei Middle School campus is the latest venue for the Kalihi-Pālama's annual intermediate and high school hula kahiko eompehtion, previously held at King Intermediate in Kāne'ohe. Over its 24-year history, the competition has changed venues and sponsorship, but remains eommitted to cultural excellence and inter-school cooperation, said Jan Itagaki, executive director of the KalihiPālama Culture and Arts Society (KPCAS). "Aunty Maha Craver and the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center's Windward Unit established the competition in May 1978," she explained. "The year before, a group of 'ōpio representing QLCC's Windward Unit entered the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo. When they retumed, Aunty Malia and others met to organize a competition designed for newer, less experienced dancers. Kualoa Regional Park was selected because it could handle a large crowd, but its appropriateness as a culturally significant site emerged to the forefront, as it was an ali'i training ground for important

cultural practices. "For the first eight or nine years, the competition was at Kualoa. In 1986, Aunty Malia offered the competition

sponsorship to KPCAS." From Kualoa, the event moved to Farrington, St. Louis, then King Intermediate. The event continues to encourage cultural leaming, school pride and a positive, competitive spirit. Represented in this year's intermediate division will be 'Ilima, Jarrett, Kamehameha, Kapolei, Kng, Maryknoll and Waimānalo. In the high school division are 'Aiea, Farrington, 'Iolani, Kailua, Kaimukī, Kekaulike (Maui), Kohala (Hawai'i), Maryknoll, Mid-Pacific, ^ Pearl City, Roosevelt, Sacred Hearts and Wai'anae. o According to Itagaki, the competition also fosters o inter-school cooperation. "Everyone shares in the costs § and responsibilities. Ticket revenues are shared with the ā schools in order to help defray costs," she said. Judges 5= this year are hula masters Pat Nāmaka Bacon, Edith § McKinzie and George Holokai. Language judges are competition founder Malia Craver, and UH language instmctor Puakea Nogelmeier. The competition will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Tickets are $6, with proceeds benefitting participating schools and KPCAS. For information, eall 521 -6905. ■

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