| u’ve ever been to Hawaii, chances are | | | | side-by-side, you will notice a difference. |
| you’re familiar with hula dancing. A staple of | | | | When learning to dance the hula, it is very important |
| Hawaiian culture, Hula is a traditional form of music | | | | to learn the meanings of the dance moves. Each |
| and dancing. This traditional Hawaiian music and | | | | action and movement of the body has a specific |
| dancing style is used to express praise and | | | | meaning. In the hula dance, the hand placement is |
| communicate genealogy and mythology. According to | | | | very important. Different movements imitate a palm |
| Hawaiian legend, the original hula dance was | | | | tree, plants, animals, and even war. |
| performed by a god or goddess, making the dance | | | | While some say that the chants accompanying the |
| sacred to Hawaiian culture. It has been traditionally | | | | hula dance were once the most important part of |
| danced by both men and women, although today | | | | the dance, today the hula movements themselves |
| many hula dances performed for tourists include only | | | | are widely recognized to be the part of the dance |
| women. | | | | carrying the most symbolic meaning. The traditional |
| Hula music has been passed through generations of | | | | form is called hula kahiko, while the modern type is |
| Hawaiians, preserving their cultural heritage. Today, | | | | known as hula auana. |
| hula music includes native Hawaiian folk music and | | | | Hula dancers usually wear a specific costume when |
| even modern styles incorporating hip-hop and rap, as | | | | dancing the hula. This typically consists of a fresh |
| well as steel guitars. These distinctive styles all fall | | | | flower lei, of the type you will see frequently on |
| more or less into the “hula” genre. | | | | vacations to Hawaii. A grass skirt, known as a pau, is |
| Many hula themes are influenced by the cultures of | | | | worn with anklets made of bone. This ensemble is |
| the nearby Polynesian islands. However, the hula | | | | quite recognizable the world over; hula dancers can |
| dance is all its own, and is very distinctive when | | | | even be found on the dashboards of many cars. |
| compared to other dances from this area of the | | | | Although the hula dance is very popular today, and |
| world. | | | | has existed for thousands of years, it almost died |
| The hula dance is often seen at special festivals and | | | | out when missionaries came to Hawaii in the 1800s. |
| other events, including luaus. Although today many | | | | They tried to convince the dancers to stop, because |
| hulas are performed for tourists, the actual hula art | | | | they believed that it clashed with the Christian beliefs |
| form goes back hundreds of years. Traditional hula | | | | they were trying to teach, but King Kalakaua |
| music includes chanting, most of which is influenced | | | | encouraged this traditional dance, helping it to flourish. |
| by religion. This style of Hawaiian folk music includes | | | | If you are visiting Hawaii, one of the unique cultural |
| simple melodies and rhythms influenced by poetry. | | | | activities you must experience is the hula dance. |
| Although it originated for rituals and religious | | | | Many hula dancers perform at luaus and other |
| ceremonies, today most hula dances are performed | | | | ceremonies. While you’re on your vacation, |
| strictly for entertainment purposes. If you can see | | | | be sure to take the time to learn about the culture, |
| the traditional hula dance and modern hula | | | | the history, and the people of Hawaii. |