Winners of the 2011 Miss Ka'u Coffee Pageant

Miss Ka'u Coffee Brandy Shibuya shares the spotlight with Young Miss Ka'u Coffee Dayse Meleani Andrade and Miss Ka'u Peaberry Rebecca Lynn Kailiawa-Escobar.  Photos by Julia Neal

Every contestant of the 2011 Miss Ka'u Coffee Pageant performed with grace, showcasing an array of talent and original works. If you happen by any of our participants, make sure to share your appreciation for her bravery, intellect, aptitude and creativity. For each of our beautiful candidates embodies the spirit of Ka'u - however only one can be named queen.

Brandy Shibuya became Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen last night after performing a hula to Poliahu. “It has always been a dream of mine to represent Hawai'i and make a difference in the world,” she said. She described her home of Ka'u as “over 922 square miles of rich sacred land, holding the most powerful Hawaiian history.” She said she is “intrigued by its cultural diversity and natural beauty.” 

First Miss Ka'u Coffee Princess Jaeneise Cuison, Miss Ka'u Coffee Brandy Shibuya and Second Miss Ka'u Coffee Princess Brandy Eder.

First Miss Ka'u Coffee Princess, Jaeneise Cuison, danced Tahitian. She said she has a “passion for volleyball, baking assorted desserts and spending time at the beach with family.” She plans to become a nurse and “help the needy and the sick in our community.”

Second Princess is Brandy Eder, who performed her own piano composition. She said she would love to be a doctor. “What I love the most about Ka'u is the aloha spirit, the way everyone is like family.” She said she wants to help solve the problem of domestic abuse, especially identifying teens with physical and verbal abuse problems through counseling in the schools. 

Young Miss Ka'u Coffee,
Dayse Meleani Andrade.

The new Young Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen is Dayse Meleani Andrade. She said she likes to dance, sing and play sports and wants to become a pediatrician. She says she loves living in Ka'u because “all of my family and friends are here, and because the beaches are beautiful.” Her talent was dance. Shailei-Marie Penera was named First Princess and Malia Corpuz was named Second Princess.

Miss Ka'u Peaberry,
Rebecca Lynn Kailiawa-Escobar

The new Miss Ka'u Peaberry Queen is Rebecca Lynn Kailiawa-Escobar. She likes to play soccer and volleyball and make beaded jewelry. She says she wants to be a scientist because she loves nature and could “warn everyone in the world before anything happened.” She said she loves living in Ka'u because we have “fishing, farming, hunting, and ranching. Ka'u is the only district with untouched beauty,” she proclaimed. Her talent was hip hop. Tatiana Ka'awa was named First Princess, and Cherrisse Calumpit was named Second Princess.

Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant director Gloria Camba and
  her partner Rogelio Aquino.  Photo by Julia Neal

Winners of the 2011 Miss Ka'u Coffee Pageant are already gearing up for their first public appearance. It will be this Saturday at the Merrie Monarch Parade in Hilo. Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen Brandy Shibuya and her court, First Princess Jaeneise Cuison and Second Princess Brandy Eder, will be representing Ka'u Coffee this Saturday at the Merrie Monarch Royal Parade in Hilo. Also representing Ka'u Coffee at the parade will be Young Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen Dayse Meleani Andrade and her court, First Princess Shailei-Marie Penera and Second Princess Malia Corpuz, and Miss Ka'u Peaberry Queen Rebecca Lynn Kailiawa-Escobar and her court, First Princess Tatiana Ka'awa and Second Princess Cherrisse Calumpit. The two floats entered in this year's Merrie Monarch Royal Parade are sponsored by the Ka'u Coffee Growers Cooperative.

Ulu Makuakane, 2010 Ka'u Coffee Queen, welcomed
 the 2011 Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen at the pageant.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

The sold-out pageant drew many scholarship contributions and was emceed by Kahikina and KAHU public radio’s own Deevah. Scholarships, to be saved for higher education of the winners, were donated by the Edmund C. Olson Trust, 'Aina Koa Pono, the Ka'u Federal Credit Union, Golden Pacific Farms, Sen. Gil Kahele, Rep. Bob Herkes, Punalu'u Bakeshop, KAHU RADIO 91.7 FM, Ka`u Coffee Mill, R&G Mini Mart, Ka'u Royal Coffee, The Ka'u Calendar newspaper and hundreds of $5 donations to Friends of Miss Ka'u Coffee Pageant.

Pageant director Gloria Camba said that all the work was worthwhile since so much of the community participated and enjoyed supporting the talent and education of Ka'u youth. 

Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen Brandy
Shibuya dancing hula.  
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen Brandy Shibuya says her "dream has always been to represent Hawaii by truly making a difference in the world." She is "honored and blessed to devote herself to the Ka'u Coffee industry, with dignity and pride." Her platform is "emphasizing the importance of education by strengthening children, youth & communities." She says she believes it is vitally important to know ones culture and to embrace uniqueness and encourages people to "strive to your full potential in all aspects of life." Brandy says "I am so proud of all the contestants who came out this year and wish them all the best of luck in their future ambitions." She also says she gives a "special Mahalo to all the Ka'u coffee farmers, let this year be a prosperous one for all of us."

Congratulations to the candidates and winners of the 2011 Miss Ka'u Coffee Pageant!