KAPA‘A — Two points separated the vahine senior overall winner at the Heiva I Kaua‘i, Sunday. Lani Costido of Ori Uvira, a halau from Kaua‘i, edged out Poerava Good of Tahiti Toa in the Tahitian solo dance competition that took
KAPA‘A — Two points separated the vahine senior overall winner at the Heiva I Kaua‘i, Sunday.
Lani Costido of Ori Uvira, a halau from Kaua‘i, edged out Poerava Good of Tahiti Toa in the Tahitian solo dance competition that took place under the broiling Kapa‘a sun, Saturday at the Kapa‘a Beach Park.
Costido, performing in the 19-25 age group, earned an overall 262 points to Goo’s 260 points. Keahuhea Kaneo of Polynesian rounded out the leaderboard of the group with 255 points, tying with Alexa Ashley Cezar of Tiare Ura O Tahiti who finished first in the 16-18 age group with 255 points.
Emsley Drake of Rohotu, winner of the Polynesian Festival in May, added to his winnings by taking top honors in the tane senior division in the Tahitian solo dance competition.
Drake competed in the 16-18 age group and piled up 263 points over second finisher Clifton Kealii Dasalia of Tamatea Nui O Kaua‘i (223 points) and Keanu Neill-Mesiona of Manutahi (201 points).
Kailanamakamae Saronitman, competing in the 10-12 age group for Tamatea Nui O Kaua‘i, piled up 221 points to top his age group en route to being named tane junior winner.
Poerava Kuuleimomi, competing in the 10-12 age group for Te ‘E ‘A o te Turama of the Big Island, topped her age group with 261 points en route to being named vahine junior winner in the Tahitian solo dance competition, Saturday.
Awards and announcements were done Sunday afternoon following the completion of the Tahitian group dance competition in three arenas.
Ori Uvira combined both the aparima and otea to present the legend of the pearl, earning first place honors in both divisions en route to being named top overall group.
Tiare Ura o Tahiti, a halau from O‘ahu, in placing a strong challenge to the Kaua‘i halau, earned top honors in the ahuroa competition and the Tahitian drumming competition while finishing second in the otea.
Te ‘E ‘A o te Turama finished third in the drumming and otea competitions.
Other top winners include Dayton Longley, the solo male in the 4-6 age group, Kawailehua Hepa of Tamatea Nui O Kaua‘i topping the vahine 4-6 group, Oviri Avaeoru of Ta‘ere Tia‘i topping the 7-9 tane, Mahealani Rowland of Tamatea Nui O Kaua‘i topping the 7-9 vahine, Keanu Matias of Tamatea Nui O Kaua‘i topping the 13-15 tane, Tahra-Lee Kaui of Halau Hula o Leilani topping the 13-15 vahine, Pate Loketi of Tiare Ura O Tahiti topping the 19-25 tane, Jerroid Martinez of Tiare Ura o Tahiti topping the 26-39 tane, Shannon Dasilva of Ori Uvira topping the 26-39 vahine and Louise Sausen of Urahutia topping the 40-plus vahine.
In addition to the offering of dance competitions, visitors to the two-day Heiva I Kaua‘i were treated to a wide variety of Polynesian goods in the craft tent, had an opportunity to bid on an assortment of goods and services in the silent auction and were able to enjoy local-style plate lunch offerings through the food booth.
The Heiva I Kaua‘i was sponsored in part by the County of Kaua‘i and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
