“WORSHIP” HULA DEFINED

Naleonuoliakeakua Hula Ministry at the Pacific Islander Festival 2011, Ski Beach in Mission Bay

In my last two posts, I gave you a brief overview about the history of hula and Christianity in Hawai’i.  So now you’re wondering, “What is this ‘worship’ hula?”  Worship hula is simply a unique way of expressing our love and adoration to the Lord Jesus Christ – both in Christian and non-Christian (or secular) settings.

Today, worship hula is incorporated into many churches on the islands and in select areas of the continental U.S. as a regular part of the worship services.  In place of the traditional Hawaiian songs, the hula is choreographed to songs of faith with Christian lyrics in both Hawaiian and English.  In contrast to the ancient hula and its use to worship the deities, worship hula is used to glorify and honor the One true God – the Lord Jesus Christ.

Share Da Aloha 2012, Worship Event

My hula background started when I was 4 years old.  I not only danced hula, but other Polynesian dances of Tahiti, New Zealand, and Samoa.  As a member of a variety of Polynesian groups and halaus, I have performed in all sorts of venues.  More recently I studied traditional hula with Halau Hula Na Lei O Liana, with Kumu Hula Liana Iona, whose hula lineage comes through the late Kumu Ray Fonseca of Hilo, Hawai’i.  Through my experience, I have gained an incredible amount of respect for the hula, the Hawaiian culture, and the protocol of respecting my kumu hula and remaining loyal to my halau. 

When I became a born-again Christian in 1989, two women in my Bible study performed “creative dance”.  When I saw what they did, I told them they were actually dancing hula noho (hula on bended knees) and I was hooked.  Since then, that small group has grown into the current hula ministry, Naleonuoliakeakua (The Voices that Bring the Good News of God).  I have led this ministry since 1995 and it consists of hula sisters who represent various non-denominational churches throughout San Diego, such as:  Eastlake Church, Calvary Chapel San Diego, The Rock San Diego, San Diego Japanese Christian Church, Alpine Christian Fellowship, Nestor United Methodist, and Journey Community Church.  We have opportunities to worship (not perform) for church events, hula festivals, weddings, birthdays, luaus, etc., throughout Southern California.

Share Da Aloha 2012, Hula Ministry Conference

Our Purpose:  We exist to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and to glorify our Heavenly Father.

Our Mission:  We are appointed and anointed to share the Gospel by keeping our hearts and minds focused on Jesus Christ and honoring Him through this unique expression of worship – the beautiful hula!

The hula ministry is not just something I do, but it is an integral part of my life!  Just as hula is a part of the Hawaiian culture – expressing my love for my Lord and Savior through worship hula is what makes my heart beat.  That same respect I extend to my Kumu Hula is multiplied in honor of my God, the KUMUKAHI (the number one Source) . . . the Creator of the universe.

 

HULA AND CHRISTIANITY

Artist's rendition of the 
Fire Goddess, Pele

Before going further, you need a little background on the hula in relationship to Christianity and the church in Hawai’i.  For centuries, the ancient Hawaiians were polytheistic, as they worshipped many demi-gods and goddesses.  They also lived by a strict kapu (taboo) system, and if violated, were punishable by death.  After King Kamehameha died in 1819, his son King Liholiho Kamehameha II publicly violated a kapu by eating next to his stepmother, with intentions of overturning the kapu system, as it was forbidden for men and women to eat together.  He then denounced the old religion, ordered that the heiaus (temples) be destroyed, and all the idols burned.  Although this caused a lot of controversy and political upheaval, it paved the way for the Christian missionaries.

Contrary to popular belief that the missionaries oppressed the Hawaiian culture, when in fact, everything was in turmoil after the death of King Kamehameha, even before they set foot on the islands.  During the political unrest, a handful of Hawaiians made their way to America to be educated at Yale.  They converted to Christianity and returned to Hawai’i with the first missionaries in 1820.  During the long voyage from Boston to Hawai’i via South America, the missionaries learned to speak Hawaiian fluently from the Native Hawaiians and also developed the Hawaiian alphabet, as a written language was non-existent.  Upon their arrival to the islands, the missionaries were actually preaching in the Hawaiian language.  They also printed the Bible in Hawaiian, and as a result, thousands of Hawaiians converted to Christianity and learned how to read and write in their native tongue.

Although the missionaries didn’t approve of the hula because it was considered a pagan ritual, they had no authority to ban the hula.  It was actually the queen regent, Ka’ahamanu, who converted to Christianity and issued a decree in 1830 banning the hula as immoral.  This didn’t succeed in completely abolishing the hula from the islands, as it continued to be taught and performed in secrecy.  When King David Kalakaua took the throne in 1874, the hula was publicly accepted again.  The king encouraged the performance of the hula kahiko and inspired the advent of the hula ‘auana.  That’s the reason why he was affectionately known as the The Merrie Monarch.  Since 1964 the Annual Merrie Monarch Festival honors his contributions to perpetuating the hula and culture of his people.

King David Kalakaua

Despite hula in public for celebrations and entertainment was standard practice, hula as a form of worship was prohibited in churches throughout Hawai’i.  It wasn’t until 1998 when the Catholic Bishop of Honolulu announced that the Diocese would now allow hula during mass, as long as it was solely expressed as a form of prayer and not entertainment. In present day Hawai’i, the idea of incorporating hula in church still has not been fully embraced by the hula community, regardless that the majority profess the Christian faith.  Many consider that hula in the church is an abomination to the Hawaiian culture, as the church symbolizes the European and American colonialism of the islands that negatively affected the native Hawaiian people.

For more about the history of Christianity in Hawai’i: http://www.angelfire.com/big09a/ReligionHawnHistSovRefs.html

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