Hula Is Not What Most People Think

For generations, hula was presented to the outside world as entertainment — smiling women in grass skirts swaying for tourists. This image, while commercially pervasive, barely scratches the surface of what hula actually is and means to Native Hawaiian people.

At its core, hula is a language. It is one of the primary ways that Hawaiian history, genealogy, prayer, and relationship with the natural world were recorded and transmitted across generations — in a culture that, before Western contact, had no written language.

The Two Forms of Hula

Hula Kahiko (Ancient Hula)

Hula kahiko is the traditional form, performed to chant (oli or mele) accompanied by percussion instruments: the pahu (sharkskin drum), ipu (gourd drum), and 'ili'ili (water-smoothed stones used as castanets). The movements are precise, powerful, and grounded. Every gesture has specific meaning — hands, fingers, feet, hips, and eyes all carry information.

Hula kahiko was historically performed in sacred contexts, often in halau hula (schools of hula) under strict spiritual protocols.

Hula 'Auana (Modern Hula)

Developed after Western contact and the influence of Western music, hula 'auana is accompanied by instruments like ukulele, guitar, and upright bass, and features more flowing, lyrical movements. This is the form most commonly seen in hotels and cultural shows. While more accessible, it is still a serious art form with its own protocols and training requirements.

The Role of the Halau Hula

A halau hula is not just a dance school — it is a deeply structured community with its own governance, spiritual protocols, and lineage. The kumu hula (hula master and teacher) holds tremendous responsibility, not only as a choreographer but as a cultural custodian.

Students in a halau undergo years of disciplined training. They learn not just movement, but chant, history, the names and stories of the plants used in their regalia, and the spiritual dimensions of the dances they perform. Entry and advancement are earned, not casual.

The Merrie Monarch Festival

Every April in Hilo on the Big Island, the Merrie Monarch Festival brings together halau hula from across Hawaii and the world for the most prestigious hula competition in existence. Named in honor of King David Kalākaua — who worked to revive Hawaiian cultural practices after they were suppressed under American influence — the festival is a celebration of cultural survival.

Watching Merrie Monarch, even on television, is one of the most moving experiences available to anyone who cares about Hawaiian culture. The level of artistry, devotion, and cultural depth on display is extraordinary.

The Suppression and Revival of Hula

When American missionaries arrived in Hawaii in the early 1800s, they worked to suppress hula, viewing it as immoral and pagan. Hawaiian cultural practices — including hula, language, and traditional religion — were systematically discouraged and in some cases prohibited.

King Kalākaua, who ruled from 1874 to 1891, is celebrated as the "Merrie Monarch" precisely because he defied this cultural suppression and actively encouraged hula's revival. The broader Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s deepened this revitalization, restoring hula, language, navigation, and other traditions to central place in Hawaiian identity.

Watching and Respecting Hula as a Visitor

  • If you're watching a hula performance, give it your full attention — it is a gift, not background ambiance.
  • Avoid taking photos during sacred or ceremonial hula without explicit permission.
  • Support authentic halau and cultural organizations rather than only resort-sponsored performances.
  • Understand that what you're watching carries centuries of meaning. Approach it with curiosity and humility.

Hula endures because it is alive — constantly evolving while remaining rooted in something ancient and essential. It is, as Hawaiian scholar and kumu hula have said, not just what Hawaiians do. It is who they are.