Inoa | Name(s)

Hula

Hōʻuluʻulu manaʻo

No ka hula, he ʻoihana koʻikoʻi nō ia no ka hoʻoili ʻana aku i ka moʻomeheu a me ka moʻolelo Hawaiʻi. ʻO ka hālau a i ʻole ka pā hula kahi i hōʻaʻo ʻia ai ka hula e ke kumu. Aia i ka moʻokūʻauhau o ka hālau a me ke kumu ke ʻano o ke keʻehina o nā wāwae a me ke kuhi ʻana o nā lima. Ma ka wā kahiko, ʻo ka hula kuahu ke ʻano o ka hula pili i ka hoʻolaʻa ʻana i nā akua Hawaiʻi, a hōʻike ʻia kēia ʻano hula i mua o ke kuahu. I kēia wā, ʻo nā ʻano kaila o ka hula i laha loa i ka lehulehu ʻo ia hoʻi ka hula kahiko a me ka hula ʻauana. No nā ʻano o ka hula i aʻo ʻia, aia nā ʻano he nui i loaʻa. ʻO kekahi mau laʻana, ʻo ia hoʻi ka hula pahu, ka hula ʻōlapa, ka hula noho, ka hula puaʻa, a me nā ʻano ʻē aʻe he nui i koe.

ʻŌlelo ʻia, “I leʻa ka hula i ka hoʻopaʻa,” ʻoiai ʻo nā kūlana ʻelua nā mea i pono ai ka hula, ʻo ia hoʻi, he mea nui ka hoʻopaʻa a me ka mea e hula ana.

Wahi a ka Mōʻī ʻO Kalākāua, “hula is the language of the heart … therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.” Me kēlā manaʻo e ʻike ai kākou i ka mana a me ka waiwai o ka hula ma ka noʻonoʻo o ka poʻe Hawaiʻi.

Description

Hula is a critically important practice especially for passing on cultural knowledge and stories of Hawaiʻi. It is taught and practiced within learning environments called hālau and pā hula by kumu hula. The style and kind of hula that is practiced is in accordance with the genealogy of the kumu and the hālau. The style is seen in the movements of the body, including the hands and feed.

In traditional times and carrying on to today, hula kuahu is a way of practicing hula that honors the deities of the Hawaiʻi landscape and was performed in front of the kuahu. In contemporary times, the two most well known and broad styles of hula are termed “Hula kahiko” and “Hula ʻauana.” There are many other types of hula that are practiced and are distinguished by the instruments and implements used, the style of movement, posture, or the rank of the dancer etc.

It is said, “I leʻa ka hula i ka hoʻopaʻa,” meaning the joy of the dance is made so because of both the dancer and the musician, reiterating the importance of roles.

King Kalākaua said “hula is the language of the heart … therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.” which demonstrates the cultural value of the perpetuation of hula within the Hawaiʻi worldview.

ʻŌlelo kuhikuhi

E koho i kēia huaʻōlelo no nā kumuwaiwai laulā i pili i ka ʻoihana hula.

Instructions

Use this term for resources related to the practice of hula in a general sense.

Moʻokūʻauhau | Genealogy

Akua | Diety: Laka; Pele; Hiʻiaka; Hōpoe; Kapo

Hālau | Group/school: Hālau o Kekuhi; Ka Pā Hula o Kauanoe o Waʻahila

ʻĀina | Land/sea: Pā hula; Hālau hula

Hana | Practice: Hana lei; ʻAha ʻūniki

ʻAʻahu | Garments/clothing: Pāʻū; Kīhei; Lei

Lako | Materials + tools / implements: Pahu; Ipu; Pūʻili; ʻIliʻili; Kāʻekeʻeke

Lawena | Behavior:

Step/motion: Kāholo; ʻUwehe

Style/type: Hula noho; Hula kuhi lima; Hula honu; Hula ʻīlio; Hula ʻiliʻili; Hula maʻi; Hula ʻōlapa; Hula ʻālaʻapapa

Kūkulu | Built environment: Kuahu

ʻAʻahu | Garments/clothing: Pāʻū; Kīhei; Lei

Kūlana | Title/rank: Kumu; Poʻopuaʻa; Hoʻopaʻa; ʻŌlapa

Kūmole | Source(s)

Kalakaua, David. The Legends and Myths of Hawaii: The Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People. Edited by Rollin Mallory Daggett. Honolulu: Mutual Publishing, 1990.

Pukui, Mary Kawena, and Samuel H. (Samuel Hoyt) Elbert. Hawaiian Dictionary : Hawaiian-English, English-Hawaiian. Rev. and enl. Ed. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1986.

Pukui, Mary Kawena. ’Olelo No’eau : Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings. Honolulu, Hawai’i: Bishop Museum Press, 1983.

Hoʻopili ʻia i | Applied to: Oral History Finding Aid: Kahili Long Cummings, Panel Finding Aid: Tribute to Iolani Luahine – Maui, 2005, Nā mele hula : Hawaiian hula rituals and chants. Volume 2, 2013 Merrie Monarch Festival, At a glance, Kumu hula: roots and branches

Mea haku | Created by: Keahiahi Long; Annemarie Paikai