The Merrie Monarch Festival

Every year in Hilo, the most prestigious Hula festival in the world takes place. The Merrie Monarch Festival has brought the art of Hula to a modern renaissance.

For Hawaiians and Hawaiian locals, The excitement that builds up to and centers around the Merrie Monarch Festival is much similar to the intense nature of fascination that entails the Super Bowl.

This will be the 45th year that the festival has been held, and Halaus from around the world come to the Big Island compete in this event.

The Festival is named after King David Kalakaua, who was affectionately called the Merrie Monarch. King Kalakaua is regarded as being responsible for saving Hula from extinction.

In the 1800's Hula almost vanished, because missionaries thought that the practice was too explicit and sexual in nature.King Kalakua was the last King to reign in Hawaii, and he very swiftly encouraged his people to revive the arts, myths, chants and other hawaiian activities that had been prohibited by the Protestant Missionaries for 70 years.

Quite to the contrary of what the missionaries thought, Hula has been the Hawaiians way of not only keeping track of the past, but staying in touch with their environment in the present.

About the Festival's Mission Statement

1) Perpetuating the traditional culture of the Hawaiian people;

2) Developing and augmenting a living knowledge of Hawaiian arts and crafts through workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and performances of the highest quality and authenticity;

3) Reaching those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate; and,

4) Enriching the future lives of all of Hawaii's children.

Check out our Merrie Monarch Videos, for a better understanding of the different styles of Hula, and the competition portion of the festival

Follow this link to the Home Page of the Merrie Monarch Festival