WHAT IS HULA?

What do you know about the hula?  Preconceived notions exist about this dance form.  If you have little or no exposure to the hula, you automatically get a mental image of a tropical island, a Polynesian girl in a grass skirt, and a coconut bra.  Hula is so much more than that!  There is a Hawaiian saying, “Kuhi no ka lima, hele no ka maka” which translates to: “Where the hands move, there let the eyes follow.”

Indeed, hula is a dance originating from Hawai’i which tells a story through gestures of the hands and movements of the body.  More importantly, both the hula and the oli (chants) are imbedded into the very heart and soul of the Hawaiian people.  Prior to a written language, the ancient songs and dances were a living record of their rich culture, genealogy, history, legends, and traditions.  As a result, the hula is embraced and revered as a significant part of Hawaiian culture, and appreciated by many non-Hawaiians around the world.

Merrie Monarch - Hula Kahiko, Kane Division

There are two types of hula:  hula kahiko (ancient hula) and hula ‘auana (modern hula).  Hula kahiko is danced to a song or oli (chant), while the musicians keep beat on an ipu heke (gourd drum) or pahu drums. This style is usually a fast-paced hula, with strong movements, depicting stories about the antics of deities, such as Pele the Fire Goddess; while other kahikos honor chiefs or members of the Hawaiian monarchy, like King David Kalakaua and Queen Lili’uokalani. 

Hula ‘auana, on the other hand, is the style that the general population is more familiar with.  These hulas are danced to the accompaniment of guitars, ukulele, bass, sometimes a piano, and beautiful falsetto singing.  These hulas have gentle hand movements; and the stories expressed range from love songs to describing the incredible beauty of a delicate flower, or the majestic mountains and valleys of the Hawaiian Islands.  

Merrie Monarch - Hula 'Auana, Wahine Division

There are a number of kumu hula or hula masters in Hawai’i, continental United States, and throughout the world who instruct the haumana (male or female students) of their halau (school of hula) on the traditional hula.  The kumu hula, essentially a doctorate’s degree in hula, is carefully selected by their predecessor and intensely trained over a period of several years not only on the hula, but the Hawaiian language, the songs, the chants, the instruments, the hula implements, traditions, and protocols of hula.  

It is the kumu hula's kuleana (responsibility) to train the next generation of hula dancers, whether it is purely for entertainment purposes or to compete in the coveted Merrie Monarch Festival (the olympics of hula), or simply for personal enjoyment.  Hula is not just a dance, but a way of life!  Visit the official Merrie Monarch Festival website for more photos and video footage of this elite hula competition: http://www.merriemonarch.com/

Kumu Hula Mapuana de Silva

For additional information about the history of hula and/or the Hawaiian culture, visit Ka’Imi Na’auao O Hawai’i Nei (To search for the truth of the Hawaiian Culture): http://www.kaimi.org/history_hula.htm