1. Sala said he’s been coming to Merrie Monarch since 1995. “There’s still this down-home warmth about being in Hilo, being with Hawaiians practicing culture,” said Sala, who is also a ...

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Pua Ali ‘i ‘Ilima, under the direction of kumu Vicky Holt Takamine and her son kumu Jeff Takamine, above, were at the Merrie Monarch last year with 18 ...

This time, they were saying goodbye to Merrie Monarch, an annual weeklong festival for honoring native Hawaiian traditions such as hula and craft making. When I was growing up in Hilo, attending ...

Jardin graduated college in 1995, having danced at Merrie Monarch festivals while living on Kaua‘i and in Hilo. She intended to remain at the University of Hawai‘i and continue her studies in ...

That's because her youngest daughter, Kahula, is dancing for the first time on the Merrie Monarch stage -- the same stage she won Miss Aloha Hula in 1995. She's the kumu of Halau Hula Ka Lehua ...

Nov. 30—For Merrie Monarch Festival fans hoping to score tickets to the 2024 hula competition in Hilo, Friday is the all-important "postmark day." For Merrie Monarch Festival fans hoping to ...

UPDATE: Big Island police have charged suspects Dayson Eblacas and Makua Amituanai with multiple offenses after the two allegedly stole several Merrie Monarch medals from the Festival office in Hilo.

For 60 years, the Merrie Monarch Festival has contributed to the reclamation of Hawaiian culture, language and identity. Male members of Halau Hi‘iakainamakalehua practiced their hula kahiko ...

HILO, Hawaii (KHON2) — The Merrie Monarch Festival is an iconic event in Hawai’i. A large scale gathering that brings out the best of the best hula hālau who compete for the top honor.

Apr. 16—The weeklong Merrie Monarch Festival is the heartbeat of the Hilo community, its yearly swell the rhythm by which the community here lives, so many residents and visitors alike this past ...