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MELIA HOʻOMALU 

Hiiiiiii! I’m Melia but everyone knows me as Tita.

 

I grew up in the halau, born into this forreal! I don't remember when I started dancing, all I remember is coming to the halau to play with my friends while our parents were practicing. Saturdays were my favorite, we had all day to play then we had class in the evening. Most of my life has been spent at foothill square, that’s where Iʻve met some of my life long friends! Shoutout Janae, Nicole, and Simone who are all training for MM2024 with me!

I grew up in the halau,

born into this forreal!

Ever since we were kids, my hula sisters and I always talked about two things, we wanted to do Merrie Monarch and go on tour in Japan like our parents/ aunties/uncles. Before I talk about competitions, I want to talk about getting the opportunity to go on tour in Japan for the first time!

On my first tour to Japan I met a couple of Miss Aloha Hulas and at every show I would make sure to sit backstage and watch them perform and I remember telling my mom every time, “they‘re soooo good”, I was so amazed. Japan is my all time favorite place to travel to and Iʻm forever grateful to hula for showing me the world!!!

My very first competition was at Ia oe e ka la in 2009 and my first time stepping on the Merrie Monarch floor in 2015, were two of the biggest accomplishments in my hula life. I made it.
 
Something that is super weird is that if you know me then you know that I am the most shy person but for some reason once I step foot on the floor to dance hula, all of my anxious and nervous thoughts are gone and I just do my thing. something that only happens when I am dancing! 
 
After all the hard work and accomplishing my biggest hula goal, immediately I knew I wanted to do it all over again! I was then selected for the team again in 2016 & 2020 but unfortunately after all the hard work and training, we never made it on the stage due to unforeseen circumstances.

After the last two Merrie Monarchs falling through I am so excited to be able to take the stage once again with my hula peeps! This year is a little different, going through training and the journey as a kukui this time around has been very different, I now have more responsibilities along with the other kukui’s to help get the rest of the group ready.

This will be challenging but I know it will be worth it in the end :) With 4 months to go, I can't wait to arrive in Hilo and show everyone what we’ve been preparing so hard for!

 

Special shoutout to my mom, dad, brothers, and all of my hula family that have been there for me through it all and helped shape me into the person and dancer that I am today, I couldn’t have done it without you! Love you guys xoxo

 

 

 

 

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