Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown, one wahine from Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu, wen dance her hula ʻauana on April 13, 2023, at Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium fo’ da Miss Aloha Hula competition. She wen snag dis year’s title at da 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Big Island ??.
From small kid time, 9 years old, Agnes wen dance hula wit Oʻahu hālau Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e. Unda da guidance of Nā Kumu Hula Tracie and Keawe Lopes, she wen get bettah wit hula by dancing wit da bestest hula peeps ??.
Even wit all da training, da now 21-year-old Agnes nevah expect da kine emotions wen she wen hear she win Miss Aloha Hula 2023 — da mostest awesome solo dancer title in hula ??. She wen cry as her kumu and hula sistahs wen congrats her wit loud cheering and plenny hugs in da stadium b’fo she wen go up on stage fo’ her prize ??.
“I jus feel so blessed fo’ be part of dis legacy,” said Brown ??.
Dis da t’ird time in one row Oʻahu hālau wen win Miss Aloha Hula title. Brown was one of 12 wahines dat wen try fo’ da 2023 crown during da first night of da 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival ??.
Da contest wen stay close. Da seven judges wen give Brown 1,148 points fo’ win da title, only four mo’ dan da second place wahine, Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao wit Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leināʻala of Kauaʻi ??.
Da wahines wen get judged on hula kahiko (old school hula), hula ʻauana (modern hula) and oli (chant) performances ??.
Brown, one Chaminade University senior who goin’ grad in May wit one bachelor’s degree in elementary education, wen say how da kine exciting and humbling dancing was ??.
Her hula kahiko performance, one chant called “Poli Lauaʻe Makana,” wen get written by hula mastah Henry Moʻikehaokahiki Pā fo’ honor Kaumualiʻi, da last king of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau ??.
Brown’s hula ʻauana, “Kuʻu Home A I Kāneʻohe,” was one mele (song) by Louise Hart Hopkins fo’ her home on Kuʻu Home Place in Kāneʻohe. Da home unda Koʻolau Mountains on Oʻahu was wea plenny family and friends wen get fun times, even if da house no stay dea today ??.
Tracie Lopes wen say dat wen she and her husband train da haumāna, dey spend so much time wit da students, dey become like deir own keiki. Each one unique and special in deir own journey. Brown stay da daughta of one of Lopes’ hula braddahs, so fo’ watch her win Miss Aloha Hula, was mo’ special yet ????.
“She one real kind and giving wahine,” Lopes said. “Like anoddah daughta winning. We stay super happy fo’ her and fo’ da hālau” ?❤️.
Brown’s win wen keep da hālau’s win streak going. Lopes’ daughta Pi‘ikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekau‘ōnohi Lopes, da first Native Hawaiian to be in Nike’s N7 collection, wen win Miss Aloha Hula title in 2022 and Rosemary Kaʻimilei Keamoai-Strickland wen win in 2021 ??.
Brown was sitting wit da previous winnas and Lopes, who wen be Miss Aloha Hula 1994, wen dey announce her as dis year’s winna ??.
“My kumu and deir kumu and my ʻohana, dat’s da biggest thing fo’ me, fo’ honor dem and represent dem,” she said. “Da greatest opportunity” ??.
Brown get plans fo’ stay in Hawai’i afta she get her degree and work at her alma mater Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu ??.
Lopes stay humbled by her hālau’s t’ree-peat at da Miss Aloha Hula competition and on Thursday night was kinda speechless. She and her husband stay tankful fo’ enjoy da experience and be part of da festival. Fo’ dem, mo’ den just competition and she said all da wahines who wen dance Thursday night deserve fo’ be honored ???.
“All dem work hard. Deir kumu work hard,” Lopes said. “All we all try do wit our haumāna is fo’ help dem grow and guide dem, not only in hula and Merrie Monarch, but fo’ deir whole life” ??.
Da four Miss Aloha Hula 2023 runners-up are:
- Second place: Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao wit Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leināʻala of Kauaʻi; Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin. Points: 1,144.
- Third place: Meleana Kamalani Mirafuentes wit Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu of Oʻahu; Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera. Points: 1,143. Mirafuentes also won da Hawaiian Language Award.
- Fourth place: Karlee Pōhaikealoha Rita Chong-Kee wit Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi of Maui; Nā Kumu Hula Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes. Points: 1,130.
- Fifth place: Nohealeimamo Vaughan-Darval wit Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine of Oʻahu; Kumu Hula Kaʻilihiwa Vaughan-Darval. Points: 1,129.
Da 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival still going on, wit da first round of group competition starting at 6 p.m. at da stadium ??. So no miss out on all da awesome hula action still fo’ come, as all da talented wahines and hālaus compete fo’ bring home da glory! ??
NOW IN ENGLISH
? The Ultimate Victory! ? Brown Captures Miss Aloha Hula 2023 for O’ahu Hālau Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e ??
Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown, a young woman from Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu, performed her hula ʻauana on April 13, 2023, at the Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium for the Miss Aloha Hula competition. She secured this year’s title at the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Big Island ??.
Since she was 9 years old, Agnes has danced hula with Oʻahu hālau Ka La ‘Onohi Mai O Ha‘eha‘e. Under the guidance of Nā Kumu Hula Tracie and Keawe Lopes, she has improved her hula skills by dancing with the best hula talents ??.
Despite all her training, the now 21-year-old Agnes was unprepared for the emotions that hit her when she was announced as Miss Aloha Hula 2023 — the most prestigious solo dancer title in hula ??. Tears flowed as her kumu and hula sisters congratulated her with loud cheering and plenty of hugs in the stadium before she took the stage to receive her prize ??.
“I just feel so blessed to be part of this legacy,” said Brown ??.
This is the third consecutive Miss Aloha Hula title for the Oʻahu hālau. Brown was one of 12 contestants competing for the 2023 crown during the first night of the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival ??.
The contest was close. The seven judges awarded Brown 1,148 points to win the title, only four more than second-place contestant Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao with Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leināʻala of Kauaʻi ??.
The contestants were judged on hula kahiko (traditional hula), hula ʻauana (modern hula), and oli (chant) performances ??.
Brown, a Chaminade University senior who will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, described her dancing experience as exhilarating and humbling ??.
Her hula kahiko performance, a chant called “Poli Lauaʻe Makana,” was written by hula master Henry Moʻikehaokahiki Pā to honor Kaumualiʻi, the last ruling king of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau ??.
Brown’s hula ʻauana, “Kuʻu Home A I Kāneʻohe,” is a song composed by Louise Hart Hopkins for her home on Kuʻu Home Place in Kāneʻohe. The home beneath the Koʻolau Mountains on Oʻahu was the site of much entertainment for family and friends, memories of which live on today although the house no longer exists ??.
Tracie Lopes said that when she and her husband train students, they spend so much time with them that they become like their own children. Each one is unique and special in their own journey. Brown is the daughter of one of Lopes’ hula brothers, which made her victory even more special. “She is a very kind and giving individual,” Lopes said. “It’s like another daughter winning. We’re very happy for her and for the hālau” ?❤️.
Brown’s win continued the hālau’s winning streak. Lopes’ daughter Pi‘ikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekau‘ōnohi Lopes, the first Native Hawaiian to be featured in Nike’s N7 collection, claimed the Miss Aloha Hula title in 2022, and Rosemary Kaʻimilei Keamoai-Strickland won in 2021 ??.
Brown was sitting next to the previous winners and Lopes, who was Miss Aloha Hula 1994, when she was announced as this year’s winner. “My kumu and their kumu and my ʻohana, that’s the biggest thing for me, to honor them and represent them,” she said. “It’s the greatest opportunity” ??.
Brown plans to stay in Hawai’i after getting her degree and work at her alma mater, Sacred Hearts Academy, in Honolulu ??.
Lopes is humbled by her hālau’s three-peat at the Miss Aloha Hula competition and was somewhat speechless on Thursday night. She and her husband are thankful to enjoy the experience and be part of the festival. For them, it’s about more than competition, and she said all the women who danced that night deserve to be honored ???.
“All of them work hard. Their kumu work hard,” Lopes said. “All we try to do with our students is to help them grow and guide them, not just in hula and Merrie Monarch, but for their entire life” ??.
The four Miss Aloha Hula 2023 runners-up are:
- Second place: Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao with Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leināʻala of Kauaʻi; Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin. Points: 1,144.
- Third place: Meleana Kamalani Mirafuentes with Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu of Oʻahu; Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera. Points: 1,143. Mirafuentes also won the Hawaiian Language Award.
- Fourth place: Karlee Pōhaikealoha Rita Chong-Kee with Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi of Maui; Nā Kumu Hula Haunani and ‘Iliahi Paredes. Points: 1,130.
- Fifth place: Nohealeimamo Vaughan-Darval with Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine of Oʻahu; Kumu Hula Kaʻilihiwa Vaughan-Darval. Points: 1,129.
The 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival continues, with the first round of group competition starting at 6 p.m. at the stadium.
