Winning Time at Merrie Monarch

While no Molokai hula halau was represented at this year’s Merrie Monarch festival on Hawaii Island, the beautiful jewelry and crafty display of two Molokai residents won big at the craft fair.

Haunani Madela and her husband Ameron-John Madela won for best booth design at Merrie Monarch a few weeks ago. Their business, Lohikai o Molokai Shell Jewelry, made its third appearance at Merrie Monarch, but Haunani said this was the first year they decorated. First place prize was a free booth next year – a $300 value.

Haunani said the booth was modeled after a bamboo shack – kukui leaves wanded together, pele hair hanging down, tea leaf strands rising up the bamboo, and the tables edged by hina hina.

“The judges just kept saying it was really beautiful,” she said. “They’d never seen anything like it in all their years.”