Hawaii held its 58th annual Merrie Monarch Festival last month between July 1st and 3rd, which was also broadcast on Hawaii News Now’s K5.
One of the performers, Tracie Lopes, recently shared her experience of joining and being able to perform at this year's festival.
"It was wonderful to be back in Hilo and special see Aunty Luana, Kathy and all the festival staff again in person," Lopes told Big Island Times. "Entering the stadium this time was even more emotional because we knew how much time and effort everyone put in to make Merrie Monarch happen. There was a sense of healing and so much love surrounding us."
Lopes is a part of the Ke Kumu Hula dancers, who were asked to perform at this year's Merrie Monarch Festival. Lopes said this year was a little different than the festivals have been in the past, but the experience was still very enjoyable.
"The preparation, the packing, the practices and the planning was all very different, but the sharing of experiences between kumu and haumana and the sharing of our mo'olelo through hula was the same. We appreciate all the dancers, kahu and kōkua who braved this experience with us," Lopes said.
Lopes confirmed that all the dancers were vaccinated for COVID-19 before the performance.
All hālau participants, festival staff and television production crew agreed to follow the guidelines that included undergoing multiple COVID-19 tests and a five-day isolation period prior to entering the competition venue.
The Merrie Monarch Festival is a nonprofit organization that honors the legacy of King David Kalākaua, who inspired the perpetuation of Hawaiian traditions, native language and arts. The festival was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Merrie Monarch website.
For more information, or if you are interested in joining the hula academy, Lopes can be reached at haehae.hula@gmail.com