For nearly 20 years, Rachel Hualani Loo has graced the Merrie Monarch stage on 贬ōʻ颈办别 night as an ʻō濒补辫补, or dancer, with Hālau o Kekuhi. This year, she returned to the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in a profoundly different role: as the 2026 惭ōʻī Wahine (Queen) of the Merrie Monarch Royal Court.
A University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo alumna and the director of the , Loo has spent over a decade supporting Hawaiian students on their educational journeys. But when the Merrie Monarch Festival committee asked her to serve in this role, the weight of carrying this kuleana (responsibility) for her community felt different.
“Just to be included in all of this—not just the honor on an individual and personal level, but the real honor is continuing to be part of this community in a different capacity,” Loo expressed.
One of the most special things about being in Hilo during Merrie Monarch week is the opportunity to witness the community’s hospitality and ability to hoʻokipa, to host. Whether welcoming family, friends, or hālau hula, Hilo’s community shows up year after year to graciously welcome everyone. Growing up in Hilo and being part of the Merrie Monarch in different capacities has shaped Loo’s own commitment to this practice.
What the Merrie Monarch Festival and its stage represent isn’t lost on her. Loo recalled the words of her Kumu Hula Nālani Kanakaʻole Zane, whose legacy continues to permeate the festival: “She would remind us that this is the biggest stage for hula: an opportunity to share our language, culture, and dance in excellence. It’s an example of Hawaiian excellence at its highest level.”
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