HILO >> Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La of Honolulu, under the direction of kumu hula Kaleo Trinidad, took the overall title on Saturday night at the 51st Merrie Monarch Festival.

It was a fitting milestone given that this was also kumu Trinidad’s 10th year competing at the festival.

“I never dreamed [of this],” said Trinidad, amid a stream of congratulations from friends and family.

“We knew we were going to try our hardest to honor Niihau and and the people of Niihau struggling with their fishing rights,” he said, “and then honoring my teachers that trained me with the Hokule‘a.”

Trinidad’s halau won judges over in the group kahiko competition with a dynamic choreography using kala‘au sticks to perform “Aia I Ni‘ihau Ku‘u Pawehe,” celebrating the isle of Niihau and its special features.

For auana, the halau performed “Ho‘i Ke Aloha I Ra‘iatea,” a mele hula commemorating the 1992 voyage of the Hokule‘a from Hawaii to Raiatea and Rarotonga.

Trinidad’s halau almost swept the entire kane division, taking first place in the kane auana and kane overall divisions. Last year’s overall winner, Kawaili‘ula, took the top spot in kane kahiko.

Overall Winner
>>  Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, Kumu Kaleo Trinidad, Honolulu, Oahu, 1,194

Wahine Kahiko
>> Ka La ʻOnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe, Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes, Kaneohe, Oahu, 585
>> Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka, Kumu Napua Greig, Kula, Maui, 579
>> Hula Halau ʻO Kamuela, Kumu Kauʻionalani Kamanaʻo and Kunewa Mook, Kalihi & Waimanalo, Oahu, 570
>>Halau Mohala ʻIlima, Kumu Mapuana de Silva, Kailua, Oahu, 567
>> Halau I Ka Wekiu, Kumu Karl Veto Baker and Michael Casupang, Pauoa, Oahu, 561

Wahine Auana
>> Hula Halau ʻO Kamuela, Kumu Kauʻionalani Kamanaʻo and Kunewa Mook, Kalihi & Waimanalo, Oahu, 597
>> Ka La ʻOnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe, Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes, Kaneohe, Oahu, 593 (tiebreaker 824)
>> Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka, Kumu Napua Greig, Kula, Maui, 593 (tiebreaker 822)
>> Halau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leina‘ala, kumu Leina‘ala Pavao Jardin, 590
>> Halau Hula Olana, kumu Olana and Howard Ai, 588

Wahine Overall
>> Ka La ʻOnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe, Kumu Tracie and Keawe Lopes, Kaneohe, Oahu, 1,178
>> Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka, Kumu Napua Greig, Kula, Maui, 1,172
>> Hula Halau ʻO Kamuela, Kumu Kauʻionalani Kamanaʻo and Kunewa Mook, Kalihi & Waimanalo, 1,167

Kane Kahiko
>> Kawailiʻula, Kumu Chinky Mahoe, Kailua, Oahu, 590
>> Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, Kumu Kaleo Trinidad, Honolulu, Oahu, 585
>> Halau Na Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu "Sonny" Ching & Lopaka Igarta-De Vera, Kapahulu, Oahu, 578
>> Halau I Ka Wekiu, Kumu Karl Veto Baker and Michael Casupang, Pauoa, Oahu, 576

Kane Auana
>> Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, Kumu Kaleo Trinidad, Honolulu, Oahu, 609
>> Halau Hula ʻO Kahikilaulani, Kumu Nahoku Gaspang, Hilo, Hawaii, 586
>> Halau Na Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu "Sonny" Ching & Lopaka Igarta-De Vera, Kapahulu, Oahu, 585 (818)
>> Halau Kekuaokalaʻauʻalaʻiliahi, Kumu ʻIliahi and Haunani Paredes, Wailuku, Maui, 585 (810)

Kane Overall
>> Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka La, Kumu Kaleo Trinidad, Honolulu, Oahu 1,194
>> Kawailiʻula, Kumu Chinky Mahoe, Kailua, Oahu 1,169
>> Halau Na Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, Kumu William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu "Sonny" Ching & Lopaka Igarta-De Vera, Kapahulu, Oahu 1,163