Ninth Annual Te Mahana Hiroa O Tahiti Festival

The Polynesian Cultural Center hosted their annual tamari'i dance competition, Te Mahana Hiroa O Tahiti this past weekend in Laie, Hawaii. Approximately 100 soloist dancers 18 years and younger competed in the solo event. Tamari'i (children) groups from Laie and Honolulu competed in aparima/ahuroa and otea events.

Overall soloist awards went to Amaya Joy Panajon of Pupu O Te Iti Ra and Nonosina Hawaii's Jordan Mariteragi took the top honors for the overall male dancer.

Additional reporting at the Honolulu Advertiser

Preliminary results are posted below:

Group Competition

Tamari'i Aparima/Ahupurotu
Age 3-11
1. Te Hamata

Age 12-18
1. Nonosina Hawaii
2. Te Hamata

Tamari'i Otea
Age 12-18
1. Nonosina Hawaii
2. Te Hamata
3. Marania Haoragi


Solo Competition

Overall Soloists
Vahine
Amaya Joy Panajon of Pupu O Te Iti Ra

Tane
Jordan Mariteragi of Nonosina Hawaii

Age 3-4 Tane
1. Shaun Niu of Te Hamata

Age 5-6 Vahine
1. Jazzylyn Samuseva of Marania Haoragi
2. Hiriei Toilolo of Te Hamata
3. Azeriah Coleman of Marania Haoragi

Age 5-6 Tane
1. Jason Mariteragi of Nonosina Hawaii
2. Ifalemi Lauaki of Nonosina Hawaii

Age 7-8 Vahine
1. Amaya Joy Panajon of Pupu O Te Iti Ra
2. Brielle Leiataua of Nonosina Hawaii
3. Teeya Lei of Nonosina Hawaii

Age 7-8 Tane
1. Teahu Mariteragi of Nonosina Hawaii
2. Mykle Keni of Nonosina Hawaii
3. Micah Mariteragi of Nonosina Hawaii

Age 9-11 Vahine
1. Chloe Pojas of Manutahi Tahiti
2. Kelene Tapusoa of Te Hamata
3. Shelby Tominaga of Marania Haoragi

Age 9-11 Tane
1. Jordan Mariteragi of Nonosina Hawaii
2. Teancum Kaitoku of Nonosina Hawaii
3. Ethan Magalei of Nonosina Hawaii

Age 12-13 Taure'are'a Vahine
1. Macy Panajon of Pupu O Te Iti Ra
2. Tylo Thompson of Nonosina Hawai'i
3. Sara Liva of Pupu Ote Iti Ra

Age 14-15 Taure'are'a Vahine
1. Jazmine Emerson of Nonosina Hawai'i
2. Shanelle Ramelb of Pupu O Te Iti Ra
3. Ciera Dutro of Pupu O Te Iti Ra

Age 16-18 Taure'are'a Vahine
1. Chelsea Clement of Te E'a O Te Turama
2. Kawahineha'aheo Oliver of Urahutia Productions
3. Kalei Onzuka of Maohi Nui

Heiva i Honolulu 2008 Group Results

With more than a thousand in attendance, Te Vai Ura Nui of Honolulu, Hawaii, ran away with the coveted overall trophy at this years Heiva i Honolulu. Saturday's performances included Nonosina Hawaii of Laie, Hawaii, and Maohi Nui of Aiea, Hawaii. Both competed in the Senior category.

The overall soloists competition began the afternoon activities. Tehinamai Mataele of Maohi Nui and Justin "Froggie" Atangan of Nemenzo came away with the vahine and tane titles.

Maohi Nui started the group portion of the program and featured a very poised and crowd-pleasing ahupurotu.

They were followed by a touching performance by Nonosina Hawaii performing an ahupurotu of a story telling of the young sister who was lost to the Mariteragi family. The performance was especially personal as Sunday Mariteragi, the mother, performed with the group.

Maohi Nui heated up the competition with fire-wielding tane warriors and energetic vahine dancing their wedding themed otea and paoa. They shared a beautiful aparima and finished off with a climatic ending.

Nonosina Hawaii continued the family theme and brought out all ages of performers. From the 4 yr olds all the way to their most senior members, they all participated and revved up the crowd.

In the end, however, it was Te Vai Ura Nui, who had performed the night before, who came away with the top honors. So without further ado, here's the final results of the group competition. Visit the Tahiti Nui International website for additional details.

OVERALL

VAHINE
Tehinamai Mataele of Ma'ohi Nui

TANE
Justin "Froggie" Atangan of Nemenzo


GROUP AWARDS

HURA AVA TAU - JUNIOR LEVEL
1. Tiare Heipua (Ishikawa, Japan)
Ra’atira – Heikapua Sabarsah & Pualani Horiuchi
2. Kawai’ Ola I Kahikina (Tokyo, Japan)
Ra’atira – Shiho Tomida

HURA TAU - SENIOR LEVEL
1. Te Vai Ura Nui (Honolulu, Oahu)
Ra’atira – Charlie and Cathy Temanaha
2. Ma’ohi Nui (Pearl City, Oahu)
Ra’atira – Mervin Lilo
3. Nonosina Hawaii (Laie, Oahu)
Ra’atira - Jon Raymond and Tiani Mariteragi

COSTUME
Te Vai Ura Nui (Honolulu, HI)
Ra’atira – Charlie & Cathy Temanaha

RA'ATIRA
Nonosina Hawaii (Laie, Hawaii)
Ra’atira – Jon Raymond and Tiani Mariteragi

TAMARI'I APARIMA
Tokariga/Kalokemelemele (Chikasaki, Japan)
Ra’atira – Yuko Imai

VAHINE JR. APARIMA
Tokariga/Kalokemelemele (Chikasaki, Japan)
Ra’atira – Yuko Imai

JR. AHUPUROTU
1. Tiare Heipua (Ishikawa, Japan)
Ra’atira – Heikapua Sabarsah & Pualani Horiuchi
2. Kawai ‘Ola I Kahikina (Tokyo, Japan)
Ra’atira – Shiho Tomida
3. Marania Haoragi (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Ra’atira – Tahia Parker & Tukua Foster

SR. AHUPUROTU
1. Nonosina Hawaii (Laie, Oahu)
Ra’atira – Jon Raymond and Tiani Mariteragi
2. Ma’ohi Nui (Pearl City, Oahu)
Ra’atira – Mervyn Lilo

MAMA RUAU AHUPUROTU
Kawai’ Ola I Kahikina (Tokyo, Japan)
Ra’atira – Shino Tomida

SR. DRUMMING
Ma’ohi Nui (Pearl City, Oahu)
Ra’atira – Mervyn Lilo