After months of preparation, kumu hula (hula teachers) lead their halau (troupes) on the pilgrimage to Hilo for the annual Merrie Monarch Festival competition. And while the months of diligent practice is evident from the incredible precision and grace showcased onstage, there is one element of preparation unseen by the public eye: the legendary Merrie […]
These hula-minded Instagram feeds will cover all the excitement happening in Hilo during the hula community’s favorite time of year. Be sure to follow them this week as they share the fun (both on and off stage) during the 2018 Merrie Monarch Festival. For stage photos and recap: @merriemonarchfestival View this post on Instagram
Another year of extraordinary hula and Hawaiian music is taking place this week as the 55th annual Merrie Monarch Festival begins this Thursday, April 5 through Saturday April 7 in Hilo, Hawaii Island. Though tickets sell out immediately upon release in November, hula fans can still enjoy the competition from the comforts of home. And
We hope you’re ready for another year of phenomenal hula and Hawaiian music as the 54th annual Merrie Monarch Festival gets underway tomorrow, Thursday, April 20 through Saturday, April 22 in Hilo, Hawaii. Though tickets have been sold out for months, you can still enjoy the competition from the comforts of home. Each moment is captured live on television,
One of the best-known families in Hawaii, the Lim ohana (family), is a talented force to behold. They include the musical group The Lim Family and hula practitioners leading an award-winning halau hula (hula group). “When we travel homeward, we are greeted by the two significant puu (hills) of our wahi pana (storied places), Pili and
Only the most skilled hands know the intricacy required to weave Hawaiʻi’s most precious shells into uniquely Hawaiian jewelry. The highly prized pupu o Niʻihau (Niʻihau shells) can only be found on the shores of The Forbidden Island and require acute patience, as a single strand can take several years to complete. These natural ocean
When Jonathan Fong left Hawaii to pursue a degree from Brigham Young University in Utah, he always kept Hawaii close in mind. Though the Kamehameha School alumnus was no longer in his island home, he wanted to see and feel the presence of his island upbringing, even from afar. It was in his professional life
As owner and aesthetician of Paragon Salon in Makawao, Carrie Gebb spent 15 years making people feel beautiful. But a bad case of tendinitis forced her to reevaluate her idea of success and consider another dream she had always hoped to pursue: fashion. She decided to give her loyal clientele another way to be chic
For many years, the Hawaii music industry and local radio stations have highlighted three familiar genres of music: Hawaiian, reggae and the catchy Island-blend known as Jawaiian. But, thanks to rising stars Izik Moreno, DeAndre Brackensick, Lina Robins-Tamure and Keilana Mokulehua, the musical landscape has a new sound to celebrate. Though each is an artist
*This story was updated on Apr. 14, 2025. Each spring, the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium on Hawaiʻi Island roars with exhilaration and pride as thousands of footsteps announce the arrival of hula’s most prestigious event. The same way that sports fans worship championship games during peak season, avid hula fans consider the Merrie Monarch Festival
