1. Hula

A traditional Polynesian dance, originally developed in the Hawaiian Islands.

In the pre-European era, hula was closely tied to religious practices. According to one legend, hula was created by the goddess Laka on Molokai. Every May on Molokai, a festival celebrating the founding of hula is celebrated called Ka Hula Piko. There is also a Hawaiian saying 'Molokai Ka Hula Piko', which translates to 'Molokai, the center of the hula'.

There is another legend that the hula was created by Hi'iaka, sister of Pele.

A traditional hula is centered around a chant called 'oli. The chant may be accompanied by an ipu, a gourd, and 'ili 'ili, stones that are clapped together. This kind of hula is called mele hula pahu

Missionaries arriving to the islands in the early 19th Century discouraged hula as paganistic. However, the dance made resurgence later in the century during the reign of King David Kalakaua. By the early 20th Century, hula evolved even further as Polynesian pop-culture emerged in the United States.

There are two types of hula. Kahiko is an older, more traditional form of hula, while auana is a modern version.




Updated October 21, 2005