Monday, March 26, 2012

Heiva i Honolulu crowns Grand Champions

Vahine of Maohi Nui
If you made it to the Waikiki Shell last weekend, you were in good company. Over 2,000 onlookers as well as Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle, and the reigning Mrs. America Lara Fonoimoana, dropped by to experience the pageantry, music, drumming and dancing of performers from over 35 Tahitian dance groups at this years Heiva i Honolulu. You no doubt were able to see a weekend full of award winning Tahitian dance performances highlighted by the Grand Champion crowning. In fact, two Grand Champions were crowned, Heretama Nui (Pearl City, Hawaii), who was defending their Hura Tau Overall Ote'a title, and Tamatoa (Kaneohe, Hawaii) with the Hura Ava Tau Overall Ote'a award.

It was a weekend full of colorful and extravagant costumes, original Aparima music, and dance themes ranging from Hawaiian legends (Pele, Pu'uloa) to traditional Tahitian themes based on the tiare flower, the beauty of vahine (woman), love and light, monoi and the warmth of a new day took the stage with dance groups and soloists.

Solo competition took place on Thursday, the first day of the competition. Dancers were divided up into vahine and tane age categories. Over 150 soloists took the stage and gave their all demonstrating their skills, endurance, costumes and charisma to the audience and judges. Awards were announced and the 1st place dancers of each category moved on to compete in the Overall award that was decided on Saturday. The overall vahine, Agnes Manuma (27-35 Vahine) of Maohi Nui was awarded a $2,000 Tahitian black pearl necklace and bracelet. The overall tane award went to Shane Galicia of Tiare Ura O Tahiti.

Friday was the start of group competition. Hura Ava Tau groups, which are the groups that are newer and have had less competition experience, took the stage with Tamatoa, the eventual Hura Ava Tau Grand Champion, starting off with their Ahupurotu presentation.

Hura Tau groups performed Saturday with competition in several categories including Vahine Ahupurotu (a more formal and graceful dance done in long traditional dresses), drumming (demonstrating proficiency in all traditional beats after which a creative section follows), and Overall Ote'a (which includes an Aparima, Paoa, and Ote'a). The Overall Ote'a presentation for groups had a maximum 30 minutes to tell their story with song, dance and drumming.

Heiva i Honolulu 2012 celebrated their 10th anniversary this year - Ahuru ra'a o te Matahiti
Participating groups in the Hura Tau division included Heretama Nui (Jimmy Ramento, Christopher Ramento) of Pearl City, Maohi Nui (Mervyn Lilo) of Aiea, Ia Ora O Tahiti Nui (Kevin & Aulii Kama) of Honolulu, and Te Iriatai Ora (Keali'i Bush) also of Honolulu. Tamatoa (Tino Moe) of Kaneohe, Puahinano (Pualani Horiuchi) of Okinawa, Japan, Te Hei Ura (Kapua Hau'oli, PuaUra Nishida) of Osaka, Japan, Te Mahana O Te Ra (Ku'uleinani Hashimoto) Tahiti Mana (Manari'i Gauthier) of Honolulu all competed in the Hura Ava Tau division.

Without further ado, here are the results. For additional information, feel free to visit the event website - Tahiti Nui International.

Heiva I Honolulu 2012 Group Award Results

OVERALL Tane ~ Shane Galicia / Tiare Ura O Tahiti
OVERALL Vahine ~ Agnes Manuma / Maohi Nui

HURA AVA TAU DIVISION (Junior)


Vahine Ahupurotu


1st Place      Te Mahana O Te Ra
2nd Place    Te Hei Ura
3rd Place     Tahiti Mana

Tupuna Ahupurotu

1st Place     Te Mahana O Te Ra
2nd Place    Te Hei Ura

Aparima

1st Place     Te Mahana O Te Ra
2nd Place    Puahinano

Original Aparima

1st Place     Tamatoa
2nd Place    Te Hei Ura

Drumming

1st Place     Tamatoa
2nd Place    Te Hei Ura

Otea

1st Place     Tamatoa
2nd Place    Te Mahana O Te Ra
3rd Place     Te Hei Ura

GRAND CHAMPION 2012

Tamatoa


HURA TAU DIVISION (Senior)



Vahine Ahupurotu

1st Place      Maohi Nui
2nd Place    Heretama Nui
3rd Place     Ia Ora O Tahiti Nui

Original Aparima

1st Place     Heretama Nui
2nd Place    Maohi Nui
3rd Place     Ia Ora O Tahiti Nui

Drumming

1st Place     Heretama Nui
2nd Place    Ia Ora O Tahiti Nui
3rd Place     Maohi Nui

Otea

1st Place     Heretama Nui
2nd Place    Maohi Nui
3rd Place     Ia Ora O Tahiti Nui

Best Ra'atira ~ Heretama Nui
Best Costume ~ Heretama Nui
Best Couple ~ Heretama Nui

GRAND CHAMPION 2012

Heretama Nui

HEIVA I HONOLULU 2012 SOLO AWARD Results


TAMARI'I DIVSION

4-6 Tamahine

1st Place  Dionisia Robinson / Manutahi
2nd Place  Quynn Bonilla / Maohi Nui
3rd Place Chardonnay Kinimaka / Maohi Nui

4-6 Tamaroa

1st Place Saige Marienthal / Here Tama Nui
2nd Place Matagi Lilo / Maohi Nui
3rd Place Jamie Wond / Here Tama Nui

7-10 Tamahine

1st Place Nicole Graham / Tamatoa
2nd Place  Alana Nicely / Here Tama Nui
3rd Place Chasmine Drumeller / Manutahi
4th Place Hana Fujisaki / Tokariga Kaloke Mele Mele

7-10 Tamaroa

1st Place Jiovanni Tafisi / Maohi Nui
2nd Place Alize Kinimaka / Maohi Nui
3rd Place Kainoa-Sagon Sumaoang / Manutahi

TAURE'ARE'A DIVISION

11-13 Tamahine

1st Place Nagisa Takizawa / Tokariga Kaloke Mele Mele
2nd Place Tehani Perkins / Te Vai Ura Nui
3rd Place Cassandra Kanoho / Te Vai Ura Nui
4th Place Brooke Leslie / HereTama Nui

11-13 Tamaroa

1st Place Kailana Savonitman / Tamatea Nui O Kauai

14-17 Tamahine

1st Place Naomi Baldomero / Te Vai Ura Nui
2nd Place Kayli Taniguchi / Here Tama Nui
3rd Place Sammy McClymonds / Hitia O Te Ra

14-17 Tamaroa

1st Place Zacchaeus Uta / Te Vai Ura Nui
2nd Place Tamatoa Uta / Te Vai Ura Nui

VAHINE & TANE DIVISION

18-21 Vahine

1st Place Poerava Goo / Tahiti toa
2nd Place Chelsea Clement / Maohi Nui
3rd Place Charzelle Fuller-McAngus / Maohi Nui

18-21 Tane

1st Place Okuto Horiuchi / Puahinano
2nd Place Keanu-Neil Mesiona / Manutahi
3rd Place Tripler Fiapai / Maeva I Patitifa

22-26 Vahine

1st Place Pua Baker / Maohi Nui
2nd Place Ayumi Asano / Tokariga Kaloke Mele Mele
3rd Place Shantee Hookano / Te Iriatai Ora

22-26 Tane

1st Place Shane Galicia / Tiare Ura O Tahiti
2nd Place Peter Flores / Tahiti Toa
3rd Place Takafumi "Teva" Gima / Puahinano

27-35 Vahine

1st Place Agnes Manuma / Maohi Nui
2nd Place Maki Ito / Hei Tiare Tahiti
3rd Place Ronelle Dement / Te Iriatai Ora
4th Place Nihaniya Sam Fong / Te Iriatai Ora

27-35 Tane

1st Place  Manarii Gauthier / Tahiti Mana
2nd Place Julian Maeva / Maeva I Patitifa
3rd Place Daniel Sherman / Te Vai Ura Nui

36-45 Vahine

1st Place Belinda Miranda / Manutahi
2nd Place Analyn Koeger / Maeva I Patitifa
3rd Place Kozue Oumuma / Hei Tiare Tahiti

36-45 Tane

1st Place Lawakua Gabriel / Manutahi

46 and more Vahine

1st Place Hei Tiare Komatsu / Hei Tiare Tahiti
2nd Place Pualani Horiuchi / Puahinano
3rd Place Chizuko Seta / Te Mahana O Te Ra

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