Lā Kūkahekahe 2026

This category invites haku mele to express manaʻo through original musical composition. Participants are encouraged to demonstrate the dynamic use of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, grounded in Hawaiian cultural values and ʻike kūpuna, while showcasing creativity that engages listeners through musical storytelling.

Haku Mele finalists will be selected prior to the event. If chosen as a finalist, participants will be invited to perform their mele—or have their mele performed—before a panel of judges at Lā Kūkahekahe. Note: Haku mele are responsible for securing their own copyright for their mele.

The Haku Mele Competition is open to all composers and consists of one division.

Submission Deadline

All Haku Mele submissions must be received no later than Friday, January 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Submissions must be emailed to LKK@oha.org

A preliminary judging of all mele will be conducted by a panel of expert haku mele. The top three finalists will be invited to share and present their mele at Lā Kūkahekahe before a second panel of expert haku mele. Prizes will be awarded for First, Second, and Third Place winners.

Submission Requirements

Email subject line: Haku Mele Entry

Please include the following information in the body of the email:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Song Title

Attachments required:

• PDF of Hawaiian-language lyrics with English translation
• Audio recording or audio link of the mele

Composition Guidelines

Each mele submitted must:

• Be written in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
• Be 1–3 minutes in length
• Be an original composition (not generated by AI)
• Be composed by the submitting composer
• Not be a chant (oli)
• Not be a mele haipule

The hoʻopaʻanaʻau category is for beginner level Hawaiian language learners. This category invites contestants to memorize a Hawaiian language passage and share it with the audience. The judges criteria for consideration will include pronunciation, intonation, presence, and volume that communicates the meaning of the message in an engaging way.

There are two divisions for this category:

• Division I
  • Kula Waena OR Kula Kiʻekiʻe Makahiki 1-3
  • Middle School Gr. 7-8 OR High School Gr. 9-12 – and
  • Enrolled in Hawaiian Language – Year 1
• Division II
  • Kula Nui – Enrolled in College Level Hawaiian Language – 101-201

Haumāna will need to compose a 1-3 sentence greeting to start their speech – this includes a welina and introduction.

Select one of the following options to recite for the competition:

Option 1: E hoʻopaʻanaʻau i kēia paukū i kākau mua ʻia a hāʻawi ʻia a haʻi aku. Memorize the section provided below.

ʻO Ka ʻOpihi – Part 1

ʻOno loa ka ʻopihi i ka Hawaiʻi.  He meaʻai lihaliha ke moni aku. ʻEhā ʻano ʻopihi a ka poʻe Hawaiʻi: ʻo ka ʻopihi kōʻele, ka ʻopihi ʻālinalina, ka ʻopihi makaiauli a me ka ʻopihi ʻawa. ʻO ke kōʻele ka ʻopihi nuinui loa, a ua ʻano uaua ke nau aku; eia naʻe, makemake ka poʻe e ʻokiʻoki a ʻai me ka limu, no mea, kamumu mai ia ʻopihi. ʻO ka ʻālinalina paha ka punahele o nā ʻopihi i ko Hawaiʻi.  Melemele ʻo lalo o ia ʻopihi a kamumu nō! Kapa ʻia kēia ʻopihi ka ʻopihi ʻulaʻula i kekahi poʻe. ʻO ka makaiauli hoʻi, uliuli ʻo lalo, I kēia ao e holo nei, ua laha kēia ʻopihi ma mua o nā ʻopihi ʻē aku. ʻO kona iwi, ʻano hiō mai ka ʻopihi ʻālinalina. ʻO ka hope, ka ʻopihi ʻawa, he ʻopihi liʻiliʻi ia.  Noho ka ʻopihi ʻawa ma ka paʻalā i ke ala maloʻo o kai. ʻAʻole ʻai ʻia ka ʻopihi ʻawa ma muli o kona mulea ʻawaʻawa. Wahi a ka moʻolelo kaʻao ʻo “Kaulu a me Nā Kaikuaʻana” ua mimi ʻo Kaulu ma luna o ka ʻopihi ʻawa i mea e hoʻohemo aku ai ʻo Kaʻeha, kona kaikuaʻana, mai waena mai o nā ʻopihi; a no ia kumu, ua ʻawaʻawa nō ka ʻopihi ʻawa a hiki i kēia lā.

Option 2: E hoʻopaʻanaʻau i kekahi paukū i kākau mua ʻia a hāʻawi ʻia a haʻi aku. Memorize this section provided passage below.

ʻO Ka ʻOpihi – Part 2

ʻO ka hana ʻohi ʻopihi ʻana ke kuʻi ʻopihi, no ka mea, i ka wā ma mua, kuʻi ʻia ka ʻopihi me kahi pōhaku a i ʻole kahi ʻiliʻili paha a hemo. I kēia mau lā, hoʻohana ʻia ka pahi waiū paka a i ʻole kahi pahi ʻē aku e kuʻi.  E akahele i ke kuʻi ʻopihi ʻana o poʻi ʻia ʻoe na ka nalu. Kapa ʻia ka ʻopihi he “iʻa make” no ka nui o ka poʻe i make i ka huli i ke kuʻi ʻopihi ʻana. ʻOno ka ʻopihi ke ʻaimaka ʻia, eia naʻe, i kēia mau lā kōʻala ʻia ka ʻopihi nunui, e like me ka ʻopihi kōʻele. ʻO ka hoʻohemo ʻana i ka ʻiʻo ʻopihi mai kona iwi he hana “poke” ʻopihi. ʻO ka ʻōpū o ka ʻopihi (kahi ʻo lalo o ka iwi), ua kapa ʻia ka weka o ka ʻopihi. Inā makemake ʻoe i hoʻokomo i ka ʻopihi i ka pahuhau a hoʻopaʻa i ka hau, e pono ana e hoʻopakū ʻia ka weka ma mua o ka hoʻomo ʻia ʻana.

He ʻono maoli nō ka ʻopihi, akā, pipiʻi nō hoʻi ka ʻopihi ma ka hale kūʻai, inā nō paha ua loaʻa nō. E aho paha, e holoholo, e ʻoi hamo, kuʻi i ka ʻopihi iā ʻoe iho; a hoʻi  i ka hale, a ʻai me ka miki poi – Auē! Hewa ka waha!!

Option 3: Hiki i nā haumāna ke haku i haʻi ʻōlelo a haʻi aku. Write your own speech and share it with us.

Time limit for both options: 1-2 min.

The Uluwale speech category is for the more mākaukau Hawaiian language learners. This category invites contestants to demonstrate the fluidity of expressing their thoughts, showcasing knowledge of ʻōlelo noʻeau, providing appropriate greetings and closing, and practicing engaging an audience in a meaningful way. This also includes the foundations of pronunciation, intonation, presence, volume, and communicating clearly.

There are three divisions for this category:

• Division I: students in Kula Kaiapuni (Hawaiian Language Immersion Schools) – Grades 7-12.
• Division II: students in Kula Kiʻekiʻe (High School) – Gr. 9-12 – who are enrolled in Hawaiian language level classes Year 3 and above.
• Division III: students in Kula Nui (college), who are enrolled in Hawaiian language 202 level classes and above.

Haumāna will need to compose a 1-3 sentence greeting to start their speech – this includes a welina and introduction.

On the day of the competition, each contestant will be provided with a topic. They will have 30 seconds to prepare, and will then present their one minute speech on the topic.

Time limit: 1 min.

The Paio Kālai Manaʻo (debate) category is for advanced-level Hawaiian language learners. The debate category invites contestants to share the fluidity of expressing their opinions on the assigned topic. Participants will be able to practice identifying a framework for arguments, presenting their reflections in ways that are rooted in cultural foundations and values, and demonstrating mutual respect. This also includes the foundations of pronunciation, intonation, presence, volume, and communicating clearly.

This category of competition is for all advanced competitors. On the day of the competition, each contestant will be provided with a topic, and will be randomly assigned to provide a Kū – Pro (supportive) or Kūʻē – Con (opposition) position. They will have 30 seconds to prepare, and will share their thoughts on the topic. Each speaker will have 1-2 min maximum to provide their arguments.

Process:

• 1st – Kū (Pro-Viewpoint): Speaker assigned to the support position will have a maximum of 2 minutes to provide their thoughts.
• 2nd – Kūʻē (Opposing Viewpoint): Speaker assigned to the opposing position will have a maximum of 2 minutes to provide their thoughts.

Students may be assigned to a stance that differs from their personal view on the subject selected – the candidates are judged on the quality of their presentations and not their personal opinions.