The last night at Merrie Monarch

Back on the floor at Kanaka'ole Stadium, with half an hour to go before the Royal Court enters and the night's festivities begin.

Today is when I got the most serious flak about the absence of the Academy from this year's festival. It came from two ladies from ... Lake Tahoe!! They had traveled here "specifically to see you folks" and were really disappointed. But eventually understanding. One other friend gave me a mild but sweetly intentioned "scolding" (as in, "What happened to you guys?"), but that's been the extent of it. When people have commented, the bulk have said, "Oh, we love you! Are you coming back?"

Of course I tell them, I hope so!

Last night's kahiko performances included a noho hula usually reserved for royalty which was very different and very exciting. The night ended with three hula ma'i in a row, and I cannot begin to interpret what that was about. The crowd was pleased, though ... lots of smiling faces!
;>

Tonight will be challenging: 27 halau plus judging. We're gonna be here for a while!

Unless something unexpected happens, this will be it for me until we get back home.

See you all soon,

Pat

Japanese ladies make mayhem in Hilo

I'll never understand it. Why the "Miss Aloha Hula" night at the Merrie Monarch competition turns calm and mild-mannered Japanese women into running / pushing / shoving / yelling / hysterical maniacs. It happens every year: one person gets in line and saves spaces in line for 10; the doors open, and they run into the stadium as fast as they can, throwing coats and purses and umbrellas onto every empty seat they can find. Then they stand at their posts, yelling across the stadium at each other, must be something like, "Here! Here!!! Your seat's here!!!" Then they shove their way into their seats ... for about 10 minutes. Once that first wave settles, half of them abandon their saved seats for better pickings.

Meanwhile, local folks get shoved aside, banged with purses, and yelled through as though they don't exist.

All of this mania for the opportunity to witness beautiful hula.

I keep wondering if they'll ever get the disconnect. I'm not holding my breath.

From the floor at Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium

I ran into Kapua, who said she heard AHA pulled out of the ho'ike because "there were not enough dancers."

Here's what was in Tuesday's Honolulu Advertiser:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090414/BREAKING01/90414083

Our B&B mates were home early, so it must have been an early night.

More to follow ...

Pat

Now it begins

Aloha, e kakou!

Today was my first encounter with the inevitable question for this year's 46th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival: "What happened to AHA?"

I was asked this by Kumu Kenneth “Aloha” Victor of Halau Kala'akeakauikawekiu. Keith and I are staying until tomorrow at the Sheraton Resort & Spa on the Kona side, where Kumu Aloha's halau practices on Monday evenings. Never being one to pass up an opportunity to see hula (and having been thoroughly impressed with the keiki of Halau Kala'akeakauikawekiu, who we had seen in a free performance on Friday night), Keith and I went to the advertised, open practice of the le'a class at the hotel on Monday night.

After the class, we went to thank Kumu Aloha for the opportunity to observe; the conversation naturally got around to who/what/where, and when I stated that I study with Kumu Mark at the Academy, the immediate response was: "What happened?"

I'm happy to report that this question was posed with true concern, and with no attitude or anger. Kumu Aloha just seemed genuinely concerned that something unfortunate had happened.

I expressed to him Kumu Mark's concern about the impact of trying in 12 short weeks to prepare the full complement of dancers for the MM Ho'ike, and how he had decided it was not in the best interest of the Academy to try and do both the Japan tour and the Ho'ike; he truly seemed to understand.

Keep in mind, I'm still in Kona ... so we'll see what happens in the next few days in Hilo. And we'll see how fast the "hula telegraph system" works on Hawai'i Island!

Me ke aloha,

Pat