One of the first things that may come to mind when we think about Hawaii is the beautiful hula dance. But, what do we really know about this traditional dance? We know that the locals use it as a medium for storytelling, they wear a special costume while performing the hula, including pretty, fragrant leis, and it’s usually performed at luaus. But what about the full history of this ritualistic dance?
No one is really sure about the actually origin of the hula dance, including the Hawaiians. According to their history, there isn’t any information on why the hula was performed, or who did the first one. It is commonly believed, however, that a god or goddess performed the original, and it’s this belief that makes the hula a sacred ritual. Although there is information that says only men took part in the hula, this is actually incorrect. Both men and women participated in the practice of the sacred hula, and still do to this day. The hula is a one of a kind dance, and is different from other dances in this part of the world. The hula was originally used only for ceremonies and rituals, but over time everything changed, until it finally was only used for entertainment purposes.
The hula is thought to be a very beautiful and graceful practice. The people performing the hula must fully become one with every action done within the dance, and they must become the object they are portraying. The hula is a very influential thing, and every motion of the person’s body represents a part in the story they are trying to tell. When a person is performing the hula, they may be imitating an animal, plants, or even a war. During the dance, each individual is imagining their self as the object they are miming. Because the hula dancer is telling a story through their hands and body, each moment of the performance is important to watch.
A costume is worn by each person for the performance of the hula. The costumes usually consist of flowers that have been strung on string, called leis, and these are worn around the neck, and sometimes on the shoulders. A grass skirt, called a pau, is also worn, and is made of a grass called tapa. Sometimes leis are also worn around the ankles, but the dancers usually wear anklets called kupea that are made of either whale bone or dog teeth.
Before the hula was used for entertainment and it was still used for religious rituals, the dance was taught in schools called a halau. The rules at the schools were very strict. Some rules prevented the students from cutting their nails or their hair. Other rules even forbade them from eating certain foods or having sex. All of these rules were made because the teacher, or kumu, believed that they would focus better and even dance better.
At one point, the practice very popular hula almost vanished completely. This was because of missionaries that arrived in Hawaii in the 1800’s. These missionaries thought the hula to be sinful and a disgrace to God. The missionaries tried to convince the Hawaiians that the dance was evil, and even managed to convert some. But, King Kalakaua didn’t believe there was anything wrong with the dance, and so he prevented the dance from fading away. He assembled a group of dancers and encouraged them to keep dancing in order to keep the hula alive.
Today, the hula is still loved and performed all over. Now, there are two different types. One is hula hahiko, which is the traditional ceremonial and ritualistic dance. A hula hahiko is usually performed using the traditional costumes, percussion, and even chanting. The second type is called hula auana, which is a more modern form of the dance. For this style, more music is used, including ukuleles, guitars, and even singing. The hula auana is performed using more body movement and hand motions to tell the full story, as it is understood better by tourists.
Take a Hawaii tour and see the art of hula dancing or perhaps you want to check out the New Disney Hawaii Hotel Aulani.
