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| Hula on Kauai |
When one hears the word hula a few things may immediately come to mind: a traditional Hawaiian tune strummed along via the ukelele, grass skirts, Hawaiian girls with long hair, coconut bras, conch shells, and swinging hips. While many of these are actually associated with hula dance as it is known today, hula is not only a dance but a staple of Polynesian culture that represents more than just a dance. Today's blog post is dedicated to informing readers of the facts, purpose, and history of hula in order to dispel popular misconceptions of both the hula tradition and Polynesian culture.
Hula is a dance that is accompanied by music and chant (known as mele) and represents as well as serves as a means of passing down oral traditions, myths, and culture. There are three types of hula, which include Hula Kahiko (the ancient hula), Hula Ku'i (a combination of poetry, chant, dance, and costumes), and Hula Auana (modern hula). Hula Auana is taught to anyone-Polynesian and non-Polynesian-who is interested in learning the dance, but Hula Kahiko is often reserved for Polynesians, individuals of Polynesian descent, or those considered Polynesian, who are taught it through a school known as a halau.
The purpose of reserving the Hula Kahiko style for specific groups of individuals is because it is a strong representation of their culture, not just a dance style. Hula Kahiko represents oral traditions and myths that are central to Polynesian culture, as well as serves as means of honoring Polynesian ancestors. According to Polynesians, hula was originally danced by the god Hi'iaka for her sister Pele, the volcano god. It was later entrusted to Laka, the keeper of the hula. Hula was originally passed down through the generations to chosen Polynesian men and women who were entrusted with not only learning the hula moves and chants but also the myths, oral history, and traditions of their culture. This is accomplished through the learning of specific hula dance moves and chants, each of which represents natural motions or sounds (e.g. swimming fish, ocean waves, blowing winds, etc.) that are replicated through the hula.
Hula was a staple of Polynesian cultures for centuries, but it actually banished in 1820. Christian missionaries discovered the practice and deemed it offensive due to the costuming and dance moves that were deemed too sexually explicit, although hula had and has never been a dance that accentuates or solely represents such ideals. Hula was practiced in secret after that time in order to preserve Polynesian culture and traditions, but much of the oral history was lost as a result of this intervention by the Christian missionaries. In 1874, hula was publicly reinstated and a new form, Hula Ku'i, was born.
Hula Auana was born from Hula Ku'i as Polynesians recognized the popularity of the hula dance and capitalized on it as a means of encouraging tourism and understanding of the people and their culture. Hollywood was instrumental in polarizing Hula Auana in movies, and musicians adopted hula musical accompaniment and instruments as part of their songs. Despite the intentions, hula has unfortunately been misrepresented in popular culture, and many people think of it simply as a provocative dance. As noted in this blog post, however, hula is a strong element representing Polynesian culture and people, and it deserves respect and admiration.
References Cited
http://www.huladancehq.com/hula-dancing-history.html
http://www.gohawaii.com/statewide/discover/essential-hawaii/hula-of-hawaii
http://www.huladancehq.com/hula-dancers-in-hawaiian-culture.html
http://www.gohawaii.com/statewide/guidebook/hawaii-arts-and-culture/dance
I started a draft for my version of this paper, and I am very glad there are examples. I think I will need to revise some of my paper to be as strongly worded as this example. The phrases and terms used here are used very well and easy to understand.
ReplyDeleteSadie Kolbet
I am glad that the examples are helpful, but remember to word everything in your own words. Failure to do could be construed as plagiarism. If you are unsure come talk to me. :)
DeleteI took a hula class when I was in Hawaii and it was really cool learning the different dance moves and what they meant in their culture!
ReplyDelete-Laura Redl
It is so cool that something as simple as dance can develop in to its own culture. Another example of this occurring is "Kava Culture" in Asian countries that developed due to peoples common love of a tea. A more modern example is the concept of "rave culture" that developed in the 1990's. A common love of dance music caused many fans to develop their own style of clothes, jewelry, greetings and motto's (PLUR). This was before rampant drug-use started to occur and give the entire scene a bad name of course.
ReplyDelete-Hayden Lloyd
I work with a woman named Mele who comes from Hawaii (I can't remember what particular island). She has told me about how her name came from the song "Mele Kalikimaka" which means Merry Christmas. It's such an interesting culture and after reading this I have a different image in my head when I think "hula"!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting you mention your Hawaiian coworker as I was inspired to write this post based on meeting someone from Hawaii. She commented about how Hula is always misrepresented by American media and how it hurts her when people think it's less than what it really is. I realized that this is something that people should be educated about and a great teaching tool for my Anth 101 students as they learn about cultural relativism and ethnocentrism.
DeleteThe culture is very interesting and beautiful. I knew of it as a way to tell a story of the gods. So this really helped out. It is a beautiful way of dancing.
ReplyDeleteThe banishment of the practice of the hula dance by Christian missionaries in the 1800s is yet another example of ethnocentrism. The belief that aspects of particular cultures are too provocative, even though sexual connotations are not part of the dance, is an example of not understanding cultures that are different. By putting restrictions on these cultural practices, an intrinsic part of Polynesian culture is lost or modified beyond its original meaning.
ReplyDeleteCourteney Hedicke, Anth 101
I had never been to Hawaii but my mom has and she tells me the ways that they dance which is especial in there tradition. I like how there dance is not just for girls but for men too. I know its a dance but i didn't know it meant about an acutall story
ReplyDeleteBriana Banuelos
Anthro 102 1001
This reminds me much of rain dances performed by my ancestors. The rain dance was sacred to the Natives to communicate with the great spirit to bring precipitation to the land and grow food for them and the animals. I love cultures that have rituals and dances as part of their daily lives.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, thank you
Zachary Forrester
anthro 101 3001 summer
A balladeer was a person who told of an event in song. The hula is a visual way of doing the same thing.
ReplyDeleteHow smart to capitalize on a dance. I've always found the Hula to be a beautiful dance. This didn't mention it, so I'm curious why the grass skirt are custom? And I've seen many versions of the hula, which varied in tempo. I wonder if that's the norm, or the slower/faster are more tradition.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about the skirts, but the two versions (fast and slow) are actually different types of hula. :)
DeleteAwesome to read about the origins of hula. I remember being young watching Lilo and Stitch idolizing the girls for being able to dance in such a beautiful form.
ReplyDeleteJordan R
what in interesting origin for such a fun and catchy dance! I respect and appreciate this style and look at it as an art. The Hawaiian culture is so beautiful to me. It's a shame that this dance was banned for the outfit back in 1820 but I'm glad it is accepted now.
ReplyDeleteAhh, the ethnocentrism of banning a dance in another culture because you are uncomfortable with it. sigh. This dance has so much meaning and is so beautiful, I am glad it still exists!
ReplyDeleteLike the commenter above, my first exposures to hula were thanks to the depictions made on Lilo and Stitch. Given the context, I can now safely assume that Lilo was learning /practicing hula auana.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very beautiful that hula has made itself to accessible to anyone wanting to practice it, whilst also safeguarding the integrity of the practice within the culture/traditions. After having read the blog post on cultural appropriations (and very much in line with practices that survived only due to secret practice), I wonder if the impartment of certain types of yoga is only made to specific individuals.
I've always wanted to visit Hawaii ever since I was younger watching Lilo & Stitch. I think Hula is a very beautiful & gracious dance I wold definitely love to learn how to move like them. And is Polynesian and Hawaiian they same thing?
ReplyDelete-Monique McAllister
Tiffany Heavens
ReplyDelete- I always enjoyed watching people do the hula.I really enjoyed reading this and really would love to read more about the Polynesian culture.
I had no idea how much history was behind Hula! Its sad that it had to be done in secret and a lot of its oral history was lost because of American missionaries.
ReplyDeleteAkwila Cooks
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of Hula, I think of the movie Lilo and Stitch. Everything has a background but honestly I thought that Hula was just a dance but in their culture it means so much more. I had no idea there were different types of Hula. This is a interesting article.
I would have never thought of the hula having so much history and passionate in it. Loved the article, i wonder what made America model it into what we are seeing it to be now.
ReplyDeleteI have been aware that hula also associates with the Polynesian culture. I only knew this because we had a Polynesian dance group in high school & when I went to one of the shows I wondered why they were doing hula dances. hula has a lot of history behind it.
ReplyDelete- apreshana page
I enjoyed reading this post because although I knew what Hula dancing was, I never really knew the meaning of it. I found it neat that they dedicated this dance to represent their culture, myths, and tradition. Another thing that I found interesting is that there are different types of hula dance.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved the hula dance! Although I already knew the meaning behind the hula dance and the tradition of it, this was a interesting blog post to read.
ReplyDelete-Lavonza Marshall
Wow! I personally did not know there was so meaning behind the Hula dance. Absolutely beautiful, reading these blog post just helps me notice how much information I do not necessarily know.
ReplyDelete