Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1986 — Waimea Selected ʻAha Mele Winner [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Waimea Selected ʻAha Mele Winner

Waimea Hawaiian Civic Club of Hawaii was declared the first plaee winner in the 'Aha Ho'okuku Mele of the 27th annual Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs eonvention Nov. 14 in the Jasmine Room of the Kauai Hilton and Beach Villas. Choral Director Nora Knowles, who with her husband own and operate a computer business on Hawaii, and members of the choir were resplendent in their allwhite uniforms heavily accented with pink akulikuli leis.

There were a total of seven clubs entered in the song contest, five in the competition phase and two in the adjudication division. The latter clubs were Queen Emma and Pearl Harbor whose choral director, Nola Nahulu, was again chairperson of the 'Aha Mele. Ainahau O Kaleponi from Orange County, Calif., was second. The club was also voted as the most improved singing group. Pearl Harbor was second in the most improved. Central Maui was third plaee contest winner.

Other participating clubs were King Kamehameha of Oahu and Ahahui O Liliuokalani of Los Angeles County, the 1985 winner. The contest song was "Ka Ua Loku" whieh tells of the rain of Hanalei. And rain it did throughmost of the fourday run of the convention. The skies were overcast those four days and the rain was light, scattered and sometimes heavy although the sun periodically tried to eome through.

Mistress of ceremonies Haunani Apoliona, an entertainer and musician in her own right, kept the program going at a steady paee, twice conducting the audience in sing-alongs of Kauai songs during two brief breaks in the competition. All clubs were presented with participation t-rophies by AOHCC President Benson W.K. Lee and the three winning clubs received koa calabash bowls. Waimea was also awarded the perpetual trophy.

Happy members of the Waimea club hug, kiss and shake hands as they congratulate eaeh other upon winning the 1986 'Aha Mele Nov. 14 in the Jasmine Room of the Kauai Hilton and Beach Villas.