The Merrie Monarch Festival was named by the last of Hawaii's kings in the 1870s, King Kalākaua, who is credited with restoring hula's place in Hawaiian society. (hereandnow)
In this Friday, March 11, 2016 photo, members of Halau Hi'iakainamakalehua practice in Honolulu for the upcoming Merrie Monarch Festival, the world's most prestigious hula competition. The 2019 festival is underway this week. Merrie Monarch Festival
One of those kumu hula is Ke'ano Ka'upu, who has been a top finisher in the past. He grew up in Hilo and first started participating in 1990, and over the years has gone from spectator to dancer — doing costumes, hair and singing, too, along the way. The festival is"part of that fabric that makes up the small, sleepy town," he says.Now, Ka'upu is taking his own hālau, Halau Hi'iakainamakalehua, to compete, alongside fellow kumu hula Lono Padilla.
Halau Hi'iakainamakalehua, the hālau led by Ke'ano Ka'upu that's competing at this year's Merrie Monarch Festival.
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