Oahu Dancer Wins Miss Aloha Hula Title

HONOLULU -- A dancer with Ka Pa Hula O Kauanoe O Wa`ahila captured the title of Miss Aloha Hula 2007 on Thursday night in Hilo at the 44th Merrie Monarch Festival.

Keonilei Ku`uwehiokala Kaniaupio Fairbanks won the title by a large margin. Fairbanks also won the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaiian Language Award.

Fairbanks joins the few dancers who can claim to be among the world's best hula dancers.

Ka`uwehiokala's kumu hula (hula teacher) Maelia Lobenstein-Carter teaches Fairbanks' halau in Kaimuki.

The new Miss Aloha Hula was the last of the ten women to perform for the kahiko and auana.

Last year, Bernice Alohanamakanamaikalanimai Davis-Lim from a Big Island halau won the coveted honor. Davis-Lim is a member of the halau Na Lei O Kaholoku. She danced the final performance of the evening as her last act as Miss Aloha Hula before the results

Miss Aloha Hula 2007 Results:

Winner: Keonilei Ku`uwehiokala Kaniaupio Fairbanks 1609 points

1st Runner Up: Aureana Kamali`io`iwalani Tseu 1527 points

2nd Runner Up: Erica Kau`ionalani Awana 1512 points

3rd Runner Up: Malia Ann Marks 1501 points

4th Runner Up: Lewalani Duarte 1496 points

OHA Hawaiian Language Award: Keonilei Ku`uwehiokala Kaniaupio Fairbanks

The winner of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Hawaiian Language Award receives $1,000.

The festival continues Friday night with group competition. Watch the kane (men) and wahine (women) halau (groups) dance the kahiko, or traditional dance.

The event wraps up Saturday night with the kane and wahine halau performing their auana, or modern dance. It ends that night with the awards ceremony.