Telling Stories Through Hula
Storytelling is an important way that people pass down knowledge and culture. Adults share stories from their past with younger people in their community. When these young people grow up, they pass the stories along to their children. Stories can be passed along in many ways, including oral traditions, writing, and movement. For example, some Hawaiian people have passed down stories for many years through hula.
Hula is a type of dance, and it is also a form of storytelling. It has been a part of Hawaiian storytelling traditions for generations. Many years ago, Hawaiians did not have a written language. To pass down knowledge, they shared chants, or mele [meh-leh], that told stories of important events. They danced hula to these chants. Through hula and mele, Hawaiians recorded Hawaiian history.
There are two main types of hula. Ancient hula, or hula kahiko [HOO-lah ka-HEE-koh], is the oldest form of the dance. Hula kahiko often celebrates Hawaiian gods or chiefs. It also tells stories about important Hawaiian figures in history. Sometimes, this kind of hula is performed during religious ceremonies. The tempo of hula kahiko is slow, and the movements are graceful. Musicians keep the beat for the dancers with bamboo sticks and drums. The chants of the dance can have many different themes. A modern form of hula, hula ‘auana [HOO-lah OW-wah-nah], is danced to songs with lyrics and, often, faster tempos. Musicians play the ukulele and guitar in this type of hula. Unlike hula kahiko, hula ‘auana is not performed as a part of a religious ceremony. This less formal version of hula is performed for entertainment. Both types of hula are popular in Hawaii today. Master teachers train students at hula schools, passing the dance down to new generations.
In hula, each movement has a meaning, much like words in a story. Hula dancers use their hands, feet, and hips to tell these stories. One basic hula step is called the kaholo [kah-HOH-loh]. To perform this step, a dancer bends their knees deeply. They shift their weight from one foot to another. They sway their hips in a rhythm. This move can represent a person going on a journey. Other hula steps imitate nature or weather. For example, in one step, a dancer lifts their hands up, and then they wiggle their fingers as they bring their hands down. This movement represents rain.
Sometimes, hula movements express the emotions of a person in the story. In one movement, a dancer crosses their hands across their chest close to their heart. What feeling might that movement represent? If you guessed love, you’d be correct! Through expressive movements like this, hula dancers can communicate meaning and share important stories with their community.
