4 posts tagged “hula”

Every year at the end of March/Early April hundreds from Hawaii and the world swarm to Hilo for the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival.

I didn't realize that this year is the 45th year of it's existence! WOW!! It's nearly a week long of hula competitions from which halau, hula schools, compete. Growing up in Hawaii we watched it every year and every year for as long as I remembered I'd regretted quitting hula when I was 6 years old. But seriously, I remember that I used to practice every Saturday morning. And one day I remember sitting in the car on the way to class and telling my dad that I didn't think I wanted to dance anymore. He told me I had to tell my mom, well I don't remember telling my mom, but I did stop dancing. I've danced a little growing up, of course every kid learns some type of hula for May Day or other school festival in Hawaii. I was even selected to represent the Oahu princess in our May Day performance when I was in the 5th grade!! When I started school at Kamehameha we had to take some sort of performance art class...they had alot to choose from, but I decided hula would be easiest. Even then I wanted to get back into it, I was intimidated. Hula is SERIOUS business at Kamehameha. Thats when I really realized that girls (some boys too) have been training in hula since they could walk. Well it took me nearly 21 years, but I've finally started to learn again. Hula isn't the main emphasis of the dance class that I'm in now, but maybe I'll take it up more seriously some day. I don't want to compete or become Mrs. Aloha Hula (yes, they do have one for married women), I just want to learn more about my culture and connect with my ancestors. Sounds corny, but thats how I feel.

Anyways, Merrie Monarch started tonight with the competition for Miss Aloha Hula. The girls dance a kahiko (traditional) and 'auana (modern) hula. They must also perform and oli and are awarded for language as well. It was a very beautiful competition, but in the end

Kalimakuhilani Akemi Kalamanamana Suganuma was crowned this years Miss Aloha Hula. She also won for language as well. All of the girls danced beautifully so the judges really do have difficult job!!

Quick history...the Merrie Monarch festival honors King Kalakaua who was known as the Merrie Monarch because during his reign he helped to revitalize many of the nearly lost Hawaiian arts, hula especially. When the missionaries first came to Hawaii the Hawaiians did not have a written language and as such stories and history were passed down through oli (chant) and hula. The Merrie Monarch Festival is televised live on KITV4 and they have it streaming on their website! For more information about the festival and it's history check out this link.You can also read about this years goings on at the Merrie Monarch Honolulu Advertiser blog site!

Well we had another performance...this time at Pearlridge Uptown! But before we get to that check this out...

I tried my hand at baking yesterday!! Don't they look pretty?? I haven't eaten any of them, but with the exception of the yellow on the left side of the picture, they sure are pretty!! Okay...moving on!

We had a performance at Pearlridge Uptown (Macy's side) today. We have another one scheduled for April 26, so if you missed today's come out next month!! Here are some shots of our day!

 

 

Okay, as you can tell I've been playing with the settings on my camera...I love this picture to the left of the two girls...it looks very vintage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a packed show and I was surprised at how many shoppers actually stopped to watch the show. It's only about 40-45 minutes long, but in that time you get to see dances from Hawaii, Samoa, New Zealand, and Tahiti!

 

This year our family decided to celebrate Easter a day earlier since everyone had church at different times on Sunday. We went to a nearby park had lunch, played some games, did an easter egg hunt, and just enjoyed each others company! Here are a few of the flicks I got...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the second year we've done the park thing. The family loves playing games so its been working out well. We always have the Uncles hide the eggs...and well lets say they can be creative and lazy all at the same time!! It was a fun filled day, but boy am I tired!! I'm goin to bed!

So as you've seen in earlier blog entries I've joined a dance group. Our name is Te Rangatahi, which means children in Maori, I think. I chose this particular group because most of my family are members and because they don't just specialize in one form of dance, but rather a collection of Maori, Samoan, Tahitian, and Hula. Tonight we had our first performance at the Polynesian Cultural Center on the North Shore of Oahu. It was the first time I've ever done anything like this. It was a free performance and most of the visitors were tourist, but still I was pretty nervous. There's a lot of pre-planning that goes into something like with hair, make up, and costumes. Here's some shots of us getting ready and warming up!

Okay, so some of us older ladies...and when I say older, I just mean in comparison to the toddlers and tweeners, not that we're collecting social security yet...but some of us older ladies don't usually glam up! Like this was the first time a lot of us use fake eyelashes and wore a lot of make up!! So that was an adventure in itself! Before you know it, it was time for the show!! We had a collection of different numbers. The young men did a haka, honoring the Maori culture, the little girls did a hula and a samoan siva (dance), the older girls did a Tahitian number, the young men and women did a combined fire knife, and finally us ladies did three hula numbers. It was a lot of fun and turned out to have a lot more "audience" than we expected. PCC set us up right in the front near the ticket offices, we thought it'd be casual with people walking by, but they had a full on stage set up with chairs for the audience. I'd say there were about 60 seats and nearly everyone was taken!! But it still turned out great!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards you would have thought we were celebreties the way we were all taking pictures...of ourselves! lol!! But a lot of tourist also jumped into photos with us or took photos. It was nice...it really felt like we were doing our part in teaching people about a whole new culture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And in true typical family style...our family could not resist taking a whole bunch of pictures of ourselves! lol!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a really good night and a break of the crazy, hardcore practices we've been having!! It showed that hardwork does pay off...whether or not I like getting yelled at...that's a different story!

 

One word summed up my entire weekend...chill!! This was the first weekend in a LONG time that me and my hubby just kicked it. Saturday, however, started off with Polynesian dance class and as promised I got pictures for you...and for my hommie Tiff who didn't make it this weekend...wanna know why?? Here's why...SMiLEforME..jus kidding Tiff!!

Oh wait...did you think I was gonna have pictures of me up?? HAHA...I don't think so buddy!! But here's one of the littlest dancers practicing. Kumu had them stand up in front of the big girls so that the big girls could help them with their kaholo technique. Aren't they cute?? For the life of my I cannot remember the name of the song they are learning...the first line is "you've got those pretty eyes....just right for me" Okay, in my head I was singing as I typed...sorry...maybe I'll have it next week! Here's a where's waldo factoid...sort of...see the girl in the back on the far left...you know the one not dancing?? Now scroll up a little to the previous picture, I'll wait...okay did you see her there? That's my niece and we're working on getting her a little more into the hula. She looks so beautiful when she does it, but if she's feelin' lazy...well this is what you see!

I just missed it here...but Brooklyn had the biggest smile the entire time!! This was only her second day of practice, but she's picking it up so quickly and she's only FOUR!! But Kumu was so impressed with her smile, she told all the girls they had to smile like her!! Good job Brookie!

On the other side the boys were practicing their fireknife skills.

I don't know what the traditional term is for fireknife instructor, so let's call him Kumu too!! He's really nice! The two Kumu are married and I just found out are expecting! Congratulations Aunty Kamaile!

Here's my nephew Nephi...he's camera shy!! But he's also really getting the hang of this fireknife thing! I say, "Let's light 'um up boys!!" Just kidding...we'll wait a couple more practices!!

This is Manasseh...he's the son of our Kumu and quite the showboater, but he's also really good with the fireknife...and such a cutie!!

See how fast he was going!!! Just kidding...obviously my camera is not equipped for much movement!! But that's my Saturday morning from 9-12!!

So I wanted to make some chicken congee since my coworker, MoOgooGuypAN, created a yummy and easy recipe! But I needed ginger and cilantro, so I decided to wake up early Sunday morning and check out the Kapolei Farmer's Market.

The farmer's market is every Sunday from 7 am to 8:30 am...like you couldn't read the sign right?? It's held between the Kapolei Rec Center and the Kapolei baseball field. They've got loads of stuff!!

Obviously fruits and veggies were the main attraction...they had all kinds of stuff...ginger, garlic, lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, cilantro, won bok, eggplant, squash, papaya, mango, apple banana, and so much more!! Plus veggies that I don't know their name!!!

Staying true to form Taei had to buy some of the sweets. They had chichi dango, butter mochi, ensemada, and a grip of other stuff that looked yummy, but I had no idea what they're called! I got a butter mochi and Taei got some banana pancake something and those stick things on the left up there, they tasted like a malasada, but where sticks and not round!

They even had some fresh fish. The prices were pretty descent...we even bought a red snapper for dinner!! So for about $28 we got ginger, garlic, a HUGE bunch of cilantro, mushrooms, squash, eggplant, butter mochi, those stick things, that banana pancake stuff, and a 2 pound red snapper!! I thought it was a steal and have decided that I'm gonna support our local vendors and get my veggies from the farmer's market from now on!! Let's just see if I can wake up that early every Sunday!