HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The last time Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima competed in the Merrie Monarch Festival was in 1985. This year, the halau is back — along with kumu hula Vicky Holt Takamine. She said of her ...

The latest news coverage of the annual Merrie Monarch Festival, a weeklong hula competition on Hawaii island celebrating the ...

Hawaii News » Merrie Monarch Festival returns with award-winning halau Tuesday, April 22, 2025 12:05 am GEORGE F. LEE / STAR-ADVERTISER Pua Ali‘i ‘Ilima, under the direction of kumu Vicky Holt ...

HILO, Hawai'i (Island News) – As the Merrie Monarch Festival returns to Hilo this week, the town becomes more than just a stage for hula—it transforms into a vital marketplace for small businesses, ...

HILO, HI (KHON2) — As the Merrie Monarch Festival gets underway in Hilo, one filmmaker is pulling back the curtain on what it truly takes to reach the stage. Director Zilla Barbosa is nearing ...

Before kane hula took center stage, Merrie Monarch was wahine-only. Kumu Hula Roselle Bailey helped change that, turning an unconventional idea into a defining part of the festival’s legacy.

As the sun set over the misty town of Hilo, Hawaii, on April 6, about 4,000 people stood up from their seats in the Edith Kanakaʻole stadium and joined hands. They swayed in unison, their voices ...