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▼ Hula, Hawaiian Culture to Grace Tokyo in Sept.
- Category:Event
A host of award-winning hula performers and leading Hawaiian musicians will take the stage at Festival Na Hiwahiwa O Hawai‘i 2018 at Tokyo Dome City Hall in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, in September.
The event features the latest winners of two major annual cultural events in Hawaii: the Merrie Monarch Festival, a celebration of traditional Hawaiian culture that features Hawaii’s top hula competition, and the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, known as the Grammys of Hawaii.
The six performances from Sept. 15 to 17 will be organized by The Yomiuri Shimbun and satellite broadcaster Wowow Inc.
“This is a rare opportunity to appreciate the very best of hula and Hawaiian music,” said Mutsumi Omatsu, who hosts a bilingual radio program in Hawaii and has expert knowledge about hula.
The event features the latest winners of two major annual cultural events in Hawaii: the Merrie Monarch Festival, a celebration of traditional Hawaiian culture that features Hawaii’s top hula competition, and the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, known as the Grammys of Hawaii.
The six performances from Sept. 15 to 17 will be organized by The Yomiuri Shimbun and satellite broadcaster Wowow Inc.
“This is a rare opportunity to appreciate the very best of hula and Hawaiian music,” said Mutsumi Omatsu, who hosts a bilingual radio program in Hawaii and has expert knowledge about hula.
Speaking in a recent phone interview, Omatsu added that it’s “an event where you can see the current top winners of the Merrie Monarch Festival and the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards ... It’s quite different from watching those shows on YouTube because you’re actually feeling the vibrations, the passion and the grace of the performers through all the chanting, dancing and the beautiful sounds by impeccable musicians.”
The competition at the Merrie Monarch Festival, which was established in 1964, features hula teachers and students from top halau (hula schools). They perform two types of hula — kahiko (classic) and ‘auana (contemporary) — at the contest.
Hula kahiko features traditional choreography, chants and costumes. Performers use only percussion instruments, and the chanting is in the traditional Hawaiian language. By contrast, hula ‘auana allows a wider variety of costumes and musical instruments, and the chanting is in Hawaiian, English and other languages.
The competition at the Merrie Monarch Festival, which was established in 1964, features hula teachers and students from top halau (hula schools). They perform two types of hula — kahiko (classic) and ‘auana (contemporary) — at the contest.
Hula kahiko features traditional choreography, chants and costumes. Performers use only percussion instruments, and the chanting is in the traditional Hawaiian language. By contrast, hula ‘auana allows a wider variety of costumes and musical instruments, and the chanting is in Hawaiian, English and other languages.
The two shows on Sept. 15, at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., are titled Kahiko Day and ‘Auana Night, respectively. The performances on Sept. 16 and 17 will feature both hula kahiko and hula ‘auana.
Festival Na Hiwahiwa O Hawai‘i started in 2008. This year the event will feature about 150 participants.
“They love to come to Na Hiwahiwa because [its organizers] put together a great show,” Omatsu said of the Japanese event.
Shalia Kapuau‘ionalani Kikuyo Kamakaokalani is this year’s winner of the Miss Aloha Hula title at the Merrie Monarch Festival, prevailing over 11 other contestants in a very close competition. Her great-grandmother was Japanese, hence her middle name Kikuyo. The young artist impressed the judges, particularly with her kahiko performance, which was technically very difficult as she sat down and danced on her knees.
The ‘auana performance by the hula halau Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, the top male group at this year’s Merrie Monarch Festival, was inspired by Hokule‘a, the double-hulled sailing canoe that famously completed a voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti in 1976 using traditional Polynesian voyaging techniques, heralding the renewal of indigenous Hawaiian culture and tradition.
“You can enjoy their exciting performance even more if you know the story behind it,” Omatsu said.
Festival Na Hiwahiwa O Hawai‘i started in 2008. This year the event will feature about 150 participants.
“They love to come to Na Hiwahiwa because [its organizers] put together a great show,” Omatsu said of the Japanese event.
Shalia Kapuau‘ionalani Kikuyo Kamakaokalani is this year’s winner of the Miss Aloha Hula title at the Merrie Monarch Festival, prevailing over 11 other contestants in a very close competition. Her great-grandmother was Japanese, hence her middle name Kikuyo. The young artist impressed the judges, particularly with her kahiko performance, which was technically very difficult as she sat down and danced on her knees.
The ‘auana performance by the hula halau Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, the top male group at this year’s Merrie Monarch Festival, was inspired by Hokule‘a, the double-hulled sailing canoe that famously completed a voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti in 1976 using traditional Polynesian voyaging techniques, heralding the renewal of indigenous Hawaiian culture and tradition.
“You can enjoy their exciting performance even more if you know the story behind it,” Omatsu said.
In addition to the hula display, Kamaka Kukona and Kimie Miner, the male and female vocalists of the year award winners at the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, will add extra allure to the Na Hiwahiwa show.
The awards were inaugurated in 1978 by a local radio station. The event has since grown to become the most important music awards in Hawaii and is now presented by the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts.
For Kukona, this will be the second time he appears at Festival Na Hiwahiwa Hawai‘i, as he won the Na Hoku Hanohano award in 2014 as well.
“He’s not only a great singer, but also a very exciting kumu hula [hula teacher],” Omatsu said.
Miner is a singer-songwriter who also incorporates influences of reggae, jazz, R&B and soul music in her music, mixed with her Hawaiian roots.
“She’ll bring a different air to Na Hiwahiwa Hawai‘i. She’s very popular with female audiences, because of her natural style and lyrics that empathize with them,” Omatsu said.
Miner and Kukona will appear every day, Miner in the day performances on Sept. 15 and 17 and the evening performance on Sept. 16, and Kukona in the day performance on Sept. 16 and the evening performance on Sept. 15 and 17.
Omatsu, who comes from Fukushima Prefecture and has lived in Hawaii for about 11 years, appeared in the Merrie Monarch Festival in 2011 as a member of the halau she belongs to.
“At first, I was very nervous,” Omatsu recalled. “But my kumu hula calmed me, saying, ‘Everybody is your friend.’”
Asked what advice she would give to people who want to start hula, Omatsu said, “Watch the best hula.”
Is there any better opportunity to do so than at Festival Na Hiwahiwa Hawai‘i?
Visit nahiwa.com/live/ for more information.
The awards were inaugurated in 1978 by a local radio station. The event has since grown to become the most important music awards in Hawaii and is now presented by the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts.
For Kukona, this will be the second time he appears at Festival Na Hiwahiwa Hawai‘i, as he won the Na Hoku Hanohano award in 2014 as well.
“He’s not only a great singer, but also a very exciting kumu hula [hula teacher],” Omatsu said.
Miner is a singer-songwriter who also incorporates influences of reggae, jazz, R&B and soul music in her music, mixed with her Hawaiian roots.
“She’ll bring a different air to Na Hiwahiwa Hawai‘i. She’s very popular with female audiences, because of her natural style and lyrics that empathize with them,” Omatsu said.
Miner and Kukona will appear every day, Miner in the day performances on Sept. 15 and 17 and the evening performance on Sept. 16, and Kukona in the day performance on Sept. 16 and the evening performance on Sept. 15 and 17.
Omatsu, who comes from Fukushima Prefecture and has lived in Hawaii for about 11 years, appeared in the Merrie Monarch Festival in 2011 as a member of the halau she belongs to.
“At first, I was very nervous,” Omatsu recalled. “But my kumu hula calmed me, saying, ‘Everybody is your friend.’”
Asked what advice she would give to people who want to start hula, Omatsu said, “Watch the best hula.”
Is there any better opportunity to do so than at Festival Na Hiwahiwa Hawai‘i?
Visit nahiwa.com/live/ for more information.
- August 18, 2018
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