Merrie Monarch returns with laughter, tears of joy from eager fans

“Let us fill this Ho‘ike hale, this Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium, as it should be! … Hilo, how we have missed you!”

With that emotional declaration booming over the loudspeakers, Ho‘ike emcee Kuehu Mauga on Wednesday welcomed the crowds surging into the iconic stadium in Hilo on the first major performance night of the 60th Merrie Monarch Festival, in the first year with a full audience after three years of COVID-19 pandemic disruptions.

Eager hula fans came determined to make up for lost time.

While the pandemic forced a cancellation of the world’s most prestigious hula festival in 2020, required competition performances to resume without a live audience in 2021, and limited audiences inside the stadium in 2022, on this night every one of the 4,200 seats was filled, the arched rafters vibrating with the audience’s thunderous screams and cheers.

Masks and social distancing were almost entirely gone, replaced with honi, or kisses of greetings, and hugs and laughter, and the energy of a massive family reunion.

Many ticket holders Wednesday camped near the entrance for long hours to get first dibs for the Ho‘ike’s general-admission seating. Some people ate breakfast, lunch and dinner in line, and then suited up in fine aloha attire, adornments and lei in the same spot.

Sherry Kalua and her husband of 55 years, Herring K. Kalua, were the very first through the gates. Their nearly two-dozen family members and hula ohana from Halau O Kekuhi had set up three tents at the front gate of the stadium at about 7 p.m. the night before and slept in chairs to make sure they secured seating in their favorite “secret” area — a routine they’ve kept for about a decade.

“I want to get to the seat that I want to be in so that I can watch my granddaughter (Apolei Carvalho) dance,” “Auntie Sherry” said. “If I wait for everybody else to go first, I won’t get my seat.”

Although Ho‘ike night is a noncompetition night, emotions still ran sky high, and some audience members wept as they applauded. The chicken-skin, somber swell of a full stadium of people singing “Hawaii Ponoi” was not even possible three years ago. Several halau from the festival’s earliest days were invited to perform in a demonstration of legacy, and a moving tribute to beloved late kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho was staged by some of his students.

Audience member Lei Roja of Sacramento, Calif., said coming to Ho‘ike night felt like “finally coming home.” The 2020 festival that was canceled was supposed to have been her first time attending. This time, the former Honolulu resident sat in line from 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. Once inside, she sighed and wiped away tears as she watched the performances on the storied stage and the Hawaiian music and chants swept over her.

“This is my culture,” said the part-Hawaiian expatriate. “This is worth waiting for.”

MERRIE MONARCH FESTIVAL

Continues through Saturday in Hilo

HULA COMPETITION

Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium, 6 p.m. (sold out)

>> Today: Miss Aloha Hula

>> Friday: group hula kahiko (ancient style)

>> Saturday: group hula auana (modern style) and awards

OTHER MAJOR EVENTS

>> Merrie Monarch Hawaiian Arts and Crafts Fair, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium and Butler Buildings, free admission

>> Royal Parade, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Downtown Hilo

The hula competition will be broadcast on KFVE and livestreamed at hawaii newsnow.com/merriemonarch. Find Honolulu Star-­Advertiser coverage at staradvertiser.com/merrie-monarch. For more information on the Merrie Monarch Festival, visit merriemonarch.com.

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Editor’s note: Esme M. Infante is a student of Halau Na Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu, one of the halau competing at the Merrie Monarch Festival.

Find Honolulu Star-­Advertiser coverage at staradvertiser.com/merrie-monarch.