For 60 years, the Merrie Monarch Festival has helped restore Hawaii's culture, language and identity.
Male members of the Halau Hi'iakainamakalehua practice a hula dance performance. They use dense wooden sticks to amplify their singing. In the past, hula dancing provided a way for Hawaiian men to train for fighting.Credit...
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HILO, Hawaii — The airy Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium in Hilo, Hawaii, was silent save for the chirping of birds and the muffled chants of Mapuana de Silva, who sprinkled a mixture of turmeric and salt water over the edge of a square stage. Ms. de Silva is a kumu hula (hula master) and performs a ceremony called Pikai before her students begin their 50-minute hula practice.
“We’re called traditionalists,” said Ms. De Silva, 74, as her dancers practiced wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the word “boring.” Her students performed the seated hula kahiko (old hula dance). The focus of their speeches is not the movement, but the oli (chants) and mele (songs) they perform.
Later that night, they competed against 23 other hula schools at the 60th Merrie Monarch Festival.
The annual post-Easter festival honors King David Kalakaua, dubbed the "Joyful Monarch" for his love of the arts. By the time he ascended the throne in 1871, Native Hawaiian culture had been severely restricted by Christian missionaries, and the Native Hawaiian population had been decimated by Western diseases. King Kalakaua is credited with reviving many ancient Hawaiian customs, most notably the hula dance, which he called "the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people."
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Today, the Merrie Monarch Festival includes a parade and a traditional Hawaiian craft fair. However, it is best known for its hula competitions, which include some of the top hula schools or "Halau Hula" in the United States. They compete in two categories: hula kahiko, which refers to hula dancing that arose before contact with the West, and hula 'auana, which includes hula dancing that developed after contact.
Tickets to the game range from $10 to $55 and are hard to come by: Limit two per person, request only by mail postmarked Dec. 1 or later, and pay by money order or cashier's check. Tickets to the festival's noncompetitive hula nights are $5 and must be purchased in person months in advance to ensure a large number of local visitors.
In the minds of many continental Americans, hula probably means coconut bras and cellophane skirts. You can imagine a character bobbing its hips or calmly smiling on a car dashboard while acting as a bottle opener.
But the hula is an ancient and often sacred dance that originated in Hawaii.
Each performance is based on the narrative of a particular song or chants, many of which have been passed down from generation to generation.
Before contact with the West, Native Hawaiians had no written language. Instead, they documented their world—its history, mythology, religion, scientific knowledge, and more—through a rich oral tradition.
The hula, Ms. de Silva said, "is a display of our story, of our history, visual and audio."
In kumu hula, specific songs and chants are performed into choreographed dances, with dancers embodying the language of the mele or oli they are performing. "Language comes first," Ms. De Silva said. "You have to have language to have hula dancing."
'We have a duty to make some corrections'
Hilo is a quintessentially sleepy town, known for its heavy rains and past sugar cane plantations. During Merrie Monarch week, downtown Hilo comes alive with streets, hotels and restaurants packed with festival-goers.
Judge Desiree Moana Cruz, 60, said: "This is definitely the best time to come to Hawaii and see that the people of Hawaii are doing well: in terms of hula dancing, our culture, Aspects of our language as well as our various traditional customs" floats In this year's Royal Parade, held on the final day of the festive hula competition.
Families camped out on sidewalks to join the parade. A float carrying the 60th "King of the Jury" leads the parade, with marching bands, environmental activists, an Army J.R.O.T.C. riding a horse, a female rider wearing a wide skirt or "pa'u").
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Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Ross, who participated in the parade, believes that Happy Monarch Day is an important cultural pillar that helps keep Hawaiians in Hawaii.„You know, we lost a lot of children, like three kids who lived on the mainland," said Mr Ross, 58. "Part of it was the high cost of living here. "
Land in Hawaii is expensive and scarce as hotels, Airbnb, timeshares and second homes drive up real estate prices. according to aNPR Articles for January 2023For much of the pandemic, the median price of a single-family home in Hawaii was $900,000. Oahu, the most populous island and the state capital of Honolulu, has a median single-family home price of more than $1 million.
Each year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development releases a homelessness assessment report that provides statewide demographic data. This isthe recent reportFinds that from 2020 to 2022, "Household homelessness will increase most among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders."
"We're trying to build affordable housing," Mr Ross said. "But you also have to have quality jobs. That's why we're trying to get quality jobs back. Once you have those things, you need things like the environment, our culture and belonging, you know? Merrie Monarch is part of a culture where people know who they are and have a purpose."
Although Happy Monarch's Day started off as a trail Designed to boost Hilo's struggling economy after the 1960 tsunami and the demise of the sugar industry, the festival has grown into much more than an annual economic boom. Over the past 60 years, the festival has helped restore Hawaiian culture, language and identity.
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After the collapse of the Hawaiian monarchy, the provisional government banned the use of Hawaiian in schools in 1896. according to the state of hawaiiMinistry of Education"For the next four generations, Hawaiian will not be heard in schools."
Leading figures of the Hawaiian Renaissance in the 1960s and 1970s, such as Edith Kanaka'ole, are recognized today for their contributions. Ms. Kanaka'ole, a respected hula dancer and cultural practitioner who died in 1979, helped save the Hawaiian language from extinction by establishing a university-level Hawaiian studies program and a preschool Hawaiian immersion program . March, United States Mint strikesquarter releasePut her face on one of her most famous chants: "E ho mai ka ʻike" ("Give us wisdom").
Kuha'o Zane, grandson of Ms Kanaka'ole, said the Mint's recognition was a major achievement.
According to the group, in 1985, when Mr. Zane attended one of the first Hawaiian language immersion schools, only 32 children under the age of 18 in Hawaii spoke HawaiianUniversity of Hawaii Foundation.Now public schools in Hawaii must teach Hawaiian culture, history and language, and "Olelo Hawai'i" is the official language.
"For the most part, the new generation grew up with Hawaiian as their first language," Ms. Cruz said. "So you come here with incredible confidence and pride that you're an Indigenous people and know that we have a responsibility to make some corrections."
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"Right now we're dancing lei for Kahiko," said 20-year-old veteran dancer Keoe Hoe. In Halau Hi'iakainamakalehua. After flying in from Oahu, Ms. Hoe and her Halau set up air mattresses in the gym at the Keaukaha Native Hawaiian Homestead. She stands in front of a picnic table covered with the golden brown husks found on 'ulu, or breadfruit trees. The trees represent the development of Hawaiian culture, she said. "We kind of wanted to bring it to the stage because we honor Uncle Johnny and his legacy."
"Uncle Johnny" was innovative Combe hula dancer Johnny Linho from Hilo who died last April. Keano Ka'upu IV, one of the two kumu of Halau Hi'iakainamakalehua, has been a student of Mr Lum Ho, whose unconventional choreography has won multiple awards in Merrie Monarch's modern hula competition.
For this year's Kahiko Women's Performance, Mr. Ka'upu, 47, composed an original song in memory of Mr. Lum Ho. (In addition to teaching past life songs, Kumhura often creates his own songs to contribute to historical materials.)
Although protocols vary between halau, dancers usually assemble the materials themselves and make their own decorations for the hula kahiko.
These materials, ranging from the ubiquitous titanium leaf to precious seashells, are often literally or figuratively associated with the Miller or Ollie on display.
According to dancer Marina La'akea Choi, the Halau dancers had been treasure hunting in the Ulu Islands in the weeks leading up to the competition.
"Wahine is responsible for collecting it herself," Choi said, "whether it's driving around the neighborhood, knocking on the door and asking, 'Can I get some 'Ulu boxes from your garden?' Some people have their 'I got my own tree , or some of it was actually collected by the Keaukaha school next door.
Making ornaments is just the first step in their preparations for the festival. For the past two months, the Halaus have been practicing at their Oahu studio six days a week, for about three hours a day.
Taizha Hughes-Kaluhiokalani, 27, who won the festival's solo competition in 2019, started hula at the age of 8. "As a hula dancer, as a true 'olapa,' as we call it, you become a conduit, you become a vessel for your life-giving milell," she said. "Because of the people who came before you, it's very important to know who you are, because once you forget, not only are those people lost, but these places, Mo'olelo and stories are also lost."
The dancers were still working quietly when suddenly there was a cheer: Hokulani Holt, the mother of their other kumu Lono Padilla entered. In her 45 years as a hula teacher, Ms. Holt has picked just six students to become kumu hula. Among the six students were her sons, Mr. Padilla and Mr. Karp.
"For me, hula dancing is the best way to express the meaning of life on these islands," said Ms. Holt, 71, explaining how her family learned from practicing hula dancing in the Maui countryside. Keeping her hula lineage alive.
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On the final night of the three-day competition, four teenagers blew conch shells together in the stadium named after Ms Kanakaole, heralding the arrival of this year's royal court. The audience stood as the festival's kings and queens, and members of the Hawaiian community representing King Kalakaua and his wife, Queen Kapiolani, walked across the stage before taking their seats on tall wicker thrones.
The female M.C. began asking the audience loudly whether Kauai, Maui, and the other Hawaiian islands were "present." She then asked Germany, France, Hong Kong, Tahiti, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Switzerland, California and New York, sparking cheers each time.
Waimapuna Tripp said, "When visitors come, we welcome them more during Happy Monarch because they experience and respect our culture the way we Hawaiians really do, rather than, as you know, coming to tacky luaus”, 30, former attendee.
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That night and the night before, various Haraus had been on stage for hours, their songs clear and resonant, their dances graceful and robust. Each gesture is tightly controlled and executed simultaneously—the culmination of months, sometimes years, of discipline and training.
Shortly after midnight, more than six hours into the event, the judges' verdict was clear: Mr Ka'upu and Mr Padilla's more experimental Halau won the men's and women's modern hula categories.
Despite the dwindling audience, the endorphins seemed to be pumping as the dancers sat in the backstage stands in new matching outfits.
Waimapuna Tripp, 32, whose husband Ola Tripp II also participated in the hula competition, likened the night to the Olympics. "The game is very important," he said. "The best of the best, international observation, international support and keeping our culture alive."
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FAQs
What is the significance of the hula in Hawaii? ›
Hula is an important part of Hawaiian culture and history. This ancient dance form tells the story of the Hawaiian people and their land. Hula is also a way to connect with the spirit of aloha, or love. When hula is performed, it is a way to show respect for the gods and goddesses of Hawaii.
Who is responsible for the return on hula and other Hawaiian customs and came to be known as the Merrie Monarch? ›Primarily, King Kalākaua brought back the Hula after influential Christian Missionaries in the government had repressed it. And bring it back, he did! Hence, he received the nickname the Merrie Monarch, and Hilo town's Hula festival was named after him!
Why was hula banned in 1859? ›Hula was banned as it was a pagan ritual dance with moves the missionaries saw as vulgar, disgusting and sinful. It was taught and performed only in secret for a while.
How was hula revived? ›1883: King David Kalākaua's love of hula resulted in the revival of the dance. Kalākaua had hula performances for various events including the celebration of his coronation ceremonies in 1883 and his fiftieth birthday in 1886 (King's Jubilee).
What was the original purpose of the traditional hula? ›hula, sensuous mimetic Hawaiian dance, performed sitting or standing, with undulating gestures to instruments and chant. Originally, the hula was a religious dance performed by trained dancers before the king or ordinary people to promote fecundity, to honour the gods, or to praise the chiefs.
What are two major functions of hula in Hawaiian society? ›Hula is an example of a traditional practice with roots in sustainability. Hula was traditionally performed as part of ceremony, to honor deities, praise chiefs, describe environmental phenomena, offer historical accounts, tell stories, entertain, and much more.
Why did Kalakaua bring back hula? ›Kalakaua restored Hawaiian cultural traditions that were suppressed for many years. Hawaiian mythology, medicine, chant and hula were teachings that were brought back to life by King Kalakaua's passion to renew the sense of pride to his people.
When was hula allowed in Hawaii? ›Queen Ka'ahumanu converted to Christianity and, deeming hula a pagan ritual, banned hula in public places in 1830. After she died a couple years later, though, people ignored this rule. When Kalakaua became king in 1874, he officially declared that hula could be performed in public again.
What is the history of the hula? ›Before Western contact in 1778, hula had been a part of Hawaiian life for hundreds of years. Dancers would move to chants at temple ceremonies honoring gods and chiefs or tell stories explaining topics including weather patterns, the stars, and the movement of earth and lava.
How long was hula forbidden? ›Between 1819 (marked by the death of Kamehameha I) and 1874, many Christian Hawaiians considered the hula immoral. So much so that in 1830, Queen Ka'ahumanu, a Christian convert, made it illegal to perform the hula in public places. Upon her death in 1832, many began ignoring the law and again performed in public.
What country did the hula originate from? ›
It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form.
What happened to Hula Hoops in 1959? ›They trademarked the name Hula Hoop® and started manufacturing the toy out of the new plastic Marlex in 1958. On May 13, 1959, Arthur Melin applied for a patent for his version of the hula hoop. He received U.S. Patent Number 3,079,728 on March 5, 1963, for a Hoop Toy.
Who brought hula back? ›One of Kalākaua's first actions in office was to take an extensive tour of all the islands to greet his new subjects. And he brought back the hula, which had been banned in 1820.
Is hula Hawaiian or Polynesian? ›Though it is one of many Pacific dance traditions, hula is distinctively Hawaiian. Hula is often showcased alongside the Samoan fire dance, Tahitian otea, and Maori haka, particularly in lūʻau shows in Hawaiʻi. But hula should not be confused with those traditions from other lands.
What do you call the modern version of the hula dance? ›Hula ʻAuana
It encompasses the sensibilities of those who were not native, becoming less formal and more interactive with the audience. While Hula ʻAuana also tells stories through movement and song, it is contemporary in nature and what most people think, in a generic sense, of hula dancing.
Hula: A Gift From The Gods
For both ancient and modern Hawaiians, the hula is the essence of life itself. It links them with the universe and makes them one with all creation. While it is open to interpretation, one of the most common stories is about the tale of Pele and her sister Hi`iaka.
There are many non- Hawaiian hula dancers in Hawaii and Hawaiians do not ban people if they want to learn the hula. We are eager to share our culture with the world.
What are the three Hawaiian values? ›Malama 'aina, care for the land, Malama kai, care for the sea, are basic Hawaiian values that are being introduced to the Western world.
What is unique about the hula dance? ›Often being associated with nature, the hula dance is an artistic rhythmic dance with slow hand movements, hip rotation, and footwork. The hula dance is a dance with special meaning - the dance acts out the words of the oli (chant) or mele (song) that is being sung during the performance.
What is the most important instrument for the hula? ›The pahu is a drum which is native to Hawaii and other Polynesian islands. It is considered the most important instrument in the hula dance.
Why did Hawaiians sacrifice? ›
Human sacrifices were performed in Hawaii as late as the 19th century. It may have served as a way for elite members of the island to help maintain their control over the population.
Who is the Hawaiian god of hula? ›Laka is the goddess of Hula. Laka is said to be the inspiration a person thinks of while they dance. She is what causes the movement while the dancer is moved. She is also the goddess of the forest.
Who is the Miss Aloha Hula 2023? ›HILO (HawaiiNewsNow) - After an extraordinary evening of dance, Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown was crowned the winner of the Miss Aloha Hula competition in the 2023 Merrie Monarch Festival.
When was speaking Hawaiian illegal? ›After the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, teaching and learning through the medium of Hawaiian was banned in 1896. Many Hawaiian elders have told of being punished for speaking Hawaiian at school. Hawaiian language would not be heard in schools for the next four generations.
Do men do hula in Hawaii? ›3. However, traditionally, men were just as likely to perform the hula. Hawaiian men still perform the hula and you'll find them just as talented and focused.
When did the ban on Hawaiian language end? ›The Hawaiian language had been banned from school instruction in 1896, after the U.S. government illegally overthrew the Hawaiian government. From then on, in almost all public spaces, English quickly replaced Hawaiian.
Did Native Americans have hula hoops? ›History of the Native Hoop Dance
In Native American cultures, the hoop dance is used as a method of storytelling where dancers use 1 to 30 small, handmade hoops as props to tell a story through dance.
Hula (or Vula'a, Bula'a, Vulaa) is an Oceanic language spoken in the Hula area of the Rigo district, in Papua New Guinea.
How much do hula dancers cost? ›On average, hula dancers cost $250-$350. This price will vary depending on your location, the length of the event, the number of dancers you want, and the complexity of the show.
Why are there no Hula Hoops in shops? ›Fans of popular crisp brands Hula Hoops and McCoy's have been warned there could be a shortage after the company which produces them was hit by ransomware. The company has confirmed it was targeted at the end of January and has launched a “cybersecurity response plan”.
How much did the original Hula Hoop cost? ›
While they may not be the inventors of the hula hoop, Richard Knerr and Arthur “Spud" Melin of the Wham-O company hold the trademark on the name “Hula Hoop." In 1958, Wham-O began manufacturing the toy out of plastic tubing. Wham-O sold 25 million hula hoops in the first four months at a price of $1.98 each.
What did the Soviets say about Hula Hoops? ›The Soviet Union said the Hula Hoop® toy was an example of the "emptiness of American culture." Wham-O manufactured 20,000 hoops a day at the peak of Hula Hoop® popularity. The plastic tubing used for all Hula Hoop® toys ever produced would stretch around the Earth more than five times.
Who saved the Hawaiian language? ›'Keiki Kawai'ae'a' is one of the founders of the Hawaiian immersion movement in Hawaii. Her grandparents were native speakers. She heard the language as they talked among themselves and their generation but she and her siblings were always spoken to in English.
What is the Hawaiian name hula teacher? ›The word kumu literally means source, foundation and origin. A kumu hula (hula teacher) is a master teacher of Hawaiian dances, embodying the qualities of artist, manager and religious leader.
How old is hula? ›Modern Hula, known as Hula 'Auana, is the art form that arose in the 1800s from the integration of Western culture and traditional Hawaiian culture. This new form of was heavily influenced by Christian morality as missionaries spread the religion through the islands.
Are you Polynesian if you're Hawaiian? ›Native Hawaiians or First Hawaiians are of Polynesian ethnicity, which is a Pacific Islander group. Hawaii became the 50th state of America in 1959.
Why do hula dancers wear grass skirts? ›So-called “grass skirts” have always been a misnomer; however, Hawaiians and other Polynesians have traditionally used strips of natural fibers, barks and other materials to create various skirts and adornment. The purpose of such skirts, beyond decoration, was — and is — always to accentuate the dancer's movements.
Are Hawaiians descendants of Polynesians? ›Hawaiian, any of the aboriginal people of Hawaii, descendants of Polynesians who migrated to Hawaii in two waves: the first from the Marquesas Islands, probably about ad 400; the second from Tahiti in the 9th or 10th century.
What are the two types of hula dance? ›The two main categories of hula are the Hula Kahiko (ancient hula accompanied by chant and traditional Hawaiian instruments) and the Hula 'Auana (less formal hula accompanied by song and the western influenced musical instruments like the ukulele and the guitar).
Can men participate in hula? ›Go to any hula competition and you will see breathtaking, athletic and expressive male dancers. Men have done hula since the beginning. Hula was simply a way of telling a story, and there's no reason that men can't do that. As a true folk tradition, hula embraces all ages and genders.
What are the two main hula dancing positions? ›
The two main categories of hula are hula 'auana and hula kahiko.
What does hula hoop symbolize? ›Hoops symbolize the never-ending circle of life to Native Americans, as they have no beginning or end. Native American hoop dancers use anywhere from one to thirty hoops as props in a dance to represent animals, symbols, and other storytelling components.
What story does the hula tell? ›Hula is a form of narrative dance that tells the story of the Hawaiian Islands, their culture, gods, and foundation myths, all set to a variety of different music, sometimes with ancient chants and other times with contemporary music.
What is the story legend of how hula was brought to Hawaii? ›Ancient Art of Hula
One story tells of the goddess Laka giving birth to the dance at a sacred place on the island of Molokai. Another tells that the goddess Hi'iaka created the dance to appease her sister, volcano goddess Pele.
“Hula is a spiritually based practice, and it's considered to be healing to both the observer and to the dancers themselves,” explains Malia Chow, owner of Nā Hale Studios.
What is an interesting fact about the hula hoop? ›They have been used by children and adults since at least 500 BC. The modern hula hoop was inspired by Australian bamboo hoops. Common lore posits the creators of the plastic hoop popularised in the US witnessed Australian children playing with bamboo hoops while driving past in an automobile.
What are some random facts about hula hoops? ›The hula hoop is an ancient invention; no modern company and no single inventor can claim that they invented the first hula hoop. In fact, the Ancient Greeks often used hooping as a form of exercise. Older hoops have been made from metal, bamboo, wood, grasses, and even vines.
When was hula outlawed? ›Queen Ka'ahumanu converted to Christianity and, deeming hula a pagan ritual, banned hula in public places in 1830.
What is the national dance of Hawaii? ›Hula is the dance of the Native Hawaiians. You may see beautiful graceful Hula Auana, or strong and powerful Hula Kahiko. Legend says that the Hula was originally performed for Pele, the goddess of fire, by her sister, Hi`iaka. Many Hula chants are an oral record of the history of Hawaii.
When did hula dance originated? ›The first, hula kahiko, often referred to as traditional hula, is generally performed in the style used prior to 1894. Much of this form of hula was created in the praise of chiefs and honoring Hawaiian goddesses and/or gods.
Who said hula is the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people? ›
The last reigning Hawaiian king, David Kalakaua, said that the “hula is the language of the heart … therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.” Kalakaua brought backed the previously banned dance and became known as "Merrie Monarch" With that, the event most attached to hula is named after him.
What is the Hawaiian death myth? ›According to ancient Hawaiian myth, Milu is the god of the dead and ruler of Lua-o-Milu. He is now thought to share analogs with Hades. Under his command, are a host of beings known as spirit catchers who would trap wandering ghosts and bring them to his afterlife domain.
What is the birth of Hawaii myth? ›Legend has it that Pele and her older sister, Nāmaka were enemies. It is said that an intense fight between the two led to the birth of the Hawaiian Islands. The two began fighting where Kauai is located. Pele would start fires or create fire pits and Nāmaka would put them out with the sea and attack her sister.