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29 Years and Still Going Strong <br /> <br />375 participants from 23 halaus, including 8 from Japan, 1 from Okinawa, 2 from Maui, 1 groups from <br />O‘ahu, 1 Moloka‘i Halau and 10 groups from the Big Island, gathered to participate in this years <br />“Ola I Ka Wai A Ka Opua” There is Life in Water from the Clouds competition. The Sheraton Keauhou <br />Bay Resort and Spa hosted both the competition and craft fair on September 14th and 15th, 2011. <br /> <br />Over 1,200 people attended the two day festival to watch the 23 halaus compete for top prizes in 6 <br />categories. The individual Tutu Wahine and Tutu Kane dances took place on Wednesday night, followed <br />by the group competitions in the Mixed, Wahine, Kane and Overall categories on Thursday night. <br /> <br />Na Kupuna O Ka‘ū <br /> <br />During each performance, 5 judges rated the dancers on overall appearance, presentation, hand <br />gestures and costumes, among other categories, using a 1-10 point scale. The top three winners in <br />each of the competitions received prizes generously donated by local sponsors: First Hawaiian Bank, <br />Big Island Candies, Waikoloa Land Co., Kukio Resorts, LLC., Akamai Photographics, Hawai‘i Island <br />Festivals, Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council, Kona Aerial Gymnastics, County of Hawai‘i <br />Parks and Recreation Elderly Activities Division, and the Kupuna Hula Festival. <br /> <br />This year’s individual winners included; Third Place in the Kane category Allen Diorec with Na Kupuna O <br />Moana, Second Place: Kananiokalani Neizman dancing with Na Kupuna O Ka‘ū, and First Place individual <br />Kane winner from Kawaimaluhia Hula Studio in Kealakekua: Bucky Leslie with 303.3 points. <br /> <br />The individual Wahine winners were; Third Place: Mattie Kaeo performing for Maui’s Na Kupuna O <br />Kaunoa, Second Place: Big Island’s Pi‘ilani Rodrigues from Na Leo Nahenahe O Pohai Kealoha. <br />First Place individual Wahine dancer from Keaukaha was Hula Halau O Kawananakoa’s JoAnn Loa <br />with 303.9 points. <br /> <br />Thursday night’s Kane group winners were; Third Place: Na Leo Nahenahe O Na Kupuna, Second <br />Place: Halau Hula Onaona O Ka Maile, and First Place Kane group winners were: Na Kupuna O Ka‘ū <br />scoring 291.1 points. <br /> <br />Third Place in the group Wahine division was first time participant: Ka Pa Hula O Keolananilehua <br />from Japan. Second Place awards went to: Keaukaha’s Hula Halau O Kawananakoa, and First <br />Place winners: from Moloka‘i, Na Kupuna O Moana won with 302.2 points. <br /> <br />Hula Halau O Kawananakoa <br /> <br />The three winning halaus in the mixed group competition were; Third Place: Kawaimaluhia Hula <br />Studio, Second Place: Na Kupuna O Ka‘ū, and the overall mixed group winner, scoring 307.3 points: <br />Na Kupuna O Moana from Moloka‘i. <br /> <br />Kawaimaluhia Hula Studio <br /> <br />The title of overall group winner went to the Moloka‘i group, Na Kupuna O Moana, with their overall <br />point score of 1,449.1. <br /> <br />The 30th Anniversary Hawai‘i Kupuna Hula Festival is tentatively scheduled for September 12-13, <br />2012 at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa. <br /> <br />Kupuna News 7 January-March 2012