The Merrie Monarch Festival named the overall winner of its hula competition as Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, led by Ke Kumu Robert Keano Ka‘upu IV, on Saturday, April 11. The hālau also won first place kāne overall, kāne ʻauana, kāne kahiko, and wahine kahiko.
The Merrie Monarch Festival returned for its 63rd annual event from Sunday, April 5, through Saturday, April 11. The invite-only hula competition took place at the Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo from Thursday, April 9, through Saturday, April 11.
Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima, led by Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva won first place wahine overall. Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, led by Nā Kumu Tracie & Keawe Lopes, won wahine ʻauana.
Activities and events for the week-long festival also include an invitational Hawaiian arts fair, along with hula shows and a grand parade.
Tickets to see the festival in person were sold out, but competitions were live streamed and broadcast in ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi and English by Hawaiʻi News Now.
Here are video clips of the overall winners:
2026 Overall winner
Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, led by Ke Kumu Robert Keano Ka‘upu IV
2026 Wahine overall winner
Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima, led by Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva
2026 Kāne overall winner
Hālau Hi‘iakaināmakalehua, led by Ke Kumu Robert Keano Ka‘upu IV
The winner of Miss Aloha Hula 2026 is Faith Kealohapauʻole Paredes
of the Maui-based Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi, led by Nā Kumu Haunani & ʻIliahi Paredes.
Watch more video clips of the winners on Merrie Monarch Festival’s Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
