Ke Kai O Kahiki wins top Merrie Monarch honors for second year in a row

HILO, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) – Six-man Waianae halau Ke Kai O Kahiki won every award they competed for in the Merrie Monarch hula festival, including best overall. It's the second year in a row that the halau, under the direction of kumu hula O'Brian Eselu has won the overall prize and the fourth time in history, having also achieved top honors in 2000 and 2004.

It was a big night for Eselu, and also for kumu hula Kealii Reichel. His halau, Halau Kealaokamaile, won all three of the top prizes in wahine hula. The Wailuku, Maui halau earned the kahiko and auana divisions of women's hula and received the overall women's prize.

Ke Kai O Kahiki took the overall prize in men's hula. They won hula kahiko for the second year in a row and this year also achieved top honors in hula auana.

The awards:

Overall: Ke Kai O Kahiki

Kane overall: Ke Kai O Kahiki

Wahine overall: Halau Kealaokamaile

Kane hula kahiko:

1. Ke Kai O Kahiki
2. Kawailiula
3. Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La
4. Halau I Ka Wekiu

Wahine hula kahiko

1. Halau Kealaokamaile
2. Hula Halau O Kamuela
3. Halau Na Mamo O Puuanahulu
4. Halau Mohala Ilima
5. Na Pualei O Likolehua

Kane hula auana

1. Ke Kai O Kahiki
2. Halau Na Mamo O Puuanahulu
3. Halau I Ka Wekiu
4. Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani

Wahine auana

1. Halau Kealaokamaile
2. Hula Halau O Kamuela
3. Halau Mohala Ilima
4. Halau Hula Olana
5. Na Pualei O Likolehua

Miss Aloha Hula 2010
Mahealani Mika Hirao-Solem

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