After a night of competition Thursday, Pi‘ikea Kekihenelehuawewehiikekau‘onohi Lopes from halau Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e on Oahu was named as Miss Aloha Hula at the 2022 Merrie Monarch Festival.
Lopes, under the direction of her parents and na kumu hula Tracie and Keawe Lopes, scored 1,168 points and also won the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaiian language award.
The 21-year-old Lopes, who is about to receive her master’s degree in Hawaiian language immersion education, is the second consecutive Miss Aloha Hula from the halau her parents operate.
Miss Aloha Hula 2021 is Rosemary Ka‘imilei Keamoai-Strickland of Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e, who danced her final performance as Miss Aloha Hula as the scores were tabulated.
Lopes’ mother, Tracie Lopes, was Miss Aloha Hula 1994 as Tracie Farias.
The first runner-up, with 1105 points, is Auli‘ionapualokekuonaona Jon-Marie Hisayo Faurot of Oahu’s Hula Halau ‘O Kamuela, under the direction of na kumu hula Kau‘ionalani Kamana‘o and Kunewa Mook.
Second runner-up with 1097 points is Marina La‘akea Choi of Oahu’s Halau Hi‘iakainamakalehua.
Third runner-up with 1095 points is Manaia Kawaipuamakanakau‘ikawekiume-kanoeu‘iokeolamaikalaniakea Dalire-Moe of Oahu’s Halau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniakea, under the direction of kumu hula Kapua Dalire-Moe.
And fourth runner-up is Kyleigh Hokuao Manuel-Sagon of Maui’s Halau Kekuaokala‘au‘ala‘iliahi, under the direction of na kumu hula Haunani and Iliahi Parades.
Group hula ‘auana (modern hula) plus the awards ceremony is this evening.
Hula start at 6 p.m. with the entrance of the Merrie Monarch Royal Court at Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo. The competition will be broadcast on K5 Television with a worldwide livestream, as well.