The ladies of Halau I Ka Wekiu of Pauoa will pay tribute to the late Keo Woolford through a song that represents his love and gratitude in life at the 54th annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo.

In long, velvety dresses and strands of puakenikeni lei — Woolford’s favorite — they will dance to “Aloha Aku, Aloha Mai,” a song on the Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning soundtrack of his 2013 film, “The Haumana,” at Saturday night’s group auana competition.

The mele was inspired by kumu hula Michael Lanakila Casupang’s experience working with Woolford and his crew six years ago during the making of the film, which tells the story of a Waikiki lounge singer who unexpectedly finds himself responsible for leading his former teacher’s haumana, or students, to a hula competition after she dies; the lead character reconnects with his culture in the process. Woolford wrote the screenplay and directed the film.

Afterward, Casupang wrote a poem to say thanks that became the lyrics to the song. Woolford composed the melody, with input from their kumu, Robert Cazimero of Halau Na Kamalei o Lililehua, who sings it on the soundtrack.

Although he spent much of his adult life pursuing an acting career, Woolford was a student in Cazimero’s all-male halau during the late ’90s. He danced to victory with Halau Na Kamalei at the Merrie Monarch Festival in both 2005 and 2015.

A total of 20 female and nine male groups are competing at the festival this year, which starts in earnest Thursday with the Miss Aloha Hula solo competition, followed by group kahiko (ancient style) hula on Friday and group auana (modern style) hula on Saturday.

“The essence of the song is really about when you give love to someone else, you’re already receiving,” said Casupang. “When you give something to someone you don’t expect anything in return.”

That message, according to Casupang, is really the true meaning of aloha, and it’s an important one to share beyond the hula competition. It was how Woolford, who died Nov. 28 at Pali Momi Medical Center following a stroke at the age of 49, lived his life. He gave from his heart, Casupang said, without expectations; he was full of gratitude.

STRIVING FOR THE SUMMIT

Halau i ka Wekiu, under the direction of Casupang and kumu hula Karl Veto Baker, is returning to Merrie Monarch for the 14th time with both a men’s and women’s group and a track record of having won the overall title in 2012. At every competition, the halau strives for the wekiu, or summit, in all that it does.

The halau’s kahiko group presentations this year honor Queen Lili‘uokalani and celebrate the use of hala and hulu, or pandanus leaves and feathers. The women made their own lau hala mats, a laborious process that took two years from gathering to weaving. They will use the mats for their hula noho (seated hula) performance on kahiko night.

For their kahiko presentation, the men will be using uli uli (feathered gourds) designed by the late Aunty Paulette Kahalepuna that they made themselves. For auana, they will dance to “‘Ulili E,” a play on the term “uli uli,” which celebrates two migratory birds — ulili and kolea — that come to Hawaii from Alaska during the winter months.

The dancers also made feather kahili (standards) and will be adorned with lei hulu (feather lei). Kahalepuna was a student of Halau i ka Wekiu and so the feather works honor her, said Casupang. Her lei-making techniques were taught to them by Kahalepuna’s daughter, Mele, who continues her legacy.

“What we love about Merrie Monarch more than anything is it allows us to expand our knowledge,” said Casupang. “It challenges us to find new mele or choreograph new repertoire.”

It also motivates students to learn, deepening their experiences.

SHARING KEO’S LEGACY

At a recent practice in Manoa, Woolford’s niece, former Miss Hawaii Raeceen Woolford Satele, shared memories of him with the dancers, who listened with tears in their eyes. Satele, a hula dancer herself, said she was touched the halau was paying tribute to the uncle she was very close to.

The choice of the auana song came about seemingly on a whim, but now seems as if it was destined, according to Casupang.

During the summer, both kumu were at a baby luau for one of their dancers in Waianae when the band began to play “Aloha Aku, Aloha Mai.” Baker turned to Casupang and said: “This would be a beautiful song for our women to do for Merrie Monarch next year.”

They had already selected a song, and Casupang was at first reluctant to make a change. But a month later, he decided to go with it and called Woolford for permission to use it.

Woolford said, “Wow,” which was characteristic of him, according to Casupang.

“Everything he said was just so genuine,” said Casupang. “That’s how he lived his life. So he was like, ‘What an honor it would be.’ … So he knew we were going to do it.”

What no one knew is that they would lose Woolford so soon.

To make the song work for the Merrie Monarch Festival, Casupang needed to write two additional verses for the choreography, which he had been struggling with. The halau was in Japan when Woolford suffered a stroke, he said, but flew back to Honolulu in time to “be with his spirit” in his last moments at the hospital.

That night, the words came to Casupang.

They celebrate the path that Woolford took, Casupang said, which was guided by giving and receiving love. They speak of the lehua, a native flower as well as the highest-level class that Woolford was a part of as Cazimero’s student. After eight months of intense training under Cazimero’s tutelage, Woolford graduated as a kumu hula with about a dozen other students at an uniki ceremony in August.

There is also a poetic reference in the song to being forever adorned in the lushness, using a shortened version of Cazimero’s middle name, Uluwehi, which holds the same meaning. The last verse speaks of an anuenue (rainbow), an allusion to Raeceen’s middle name as well as the name of Woolford’s home.

The words from “Hawai‘i Akea,” an earlier composition from the soundtrack for “The Haumana” that speaks of love and longing for the isles after being away — a Casupang and Woolford collaboration from 20 years ago — will be presented as the dancers enter and exit the stage, tying the whole piece together and making the tribute complete.