Hula - Jan 7th Maui Trip

Hula is the famous Hawaiian dance. People dance it at Luaus and other festivals.

Hula means "dance" in Hawaiian language. It can be traced back to Polynesia and India. The hula has an interesting myth on how it was started.

Long ago Pele, the goddess of fire, told her little sister, Laka, to amuse her because she was very bored. Right away, Laka got up and moved gracefully, acting out silently events they both knew. Pele was delighted when Laka began relating victories of King Kamehameha. She showed winds circling, directed by the goddess Laama'oma'o. She described trees, flowers, waterfalls, and stars. She honored Kuula, the god of the sea, by swaying side to side to the rhythm of the ocean waves. Pele clapped. She was fascinated. The hula was born. Laka became the hula goddess.

At first there were some rules.

Only religious men and women could perform the first hulas because Hawaiian dancing was sacred. These men and women devoted themselves to Laka's hula. They only saw their instructors.

The hula began to change. Many years later, common people danced the hula. Their dances were happy and gay. Everyone danced, no matter how old they were. The hula still continued to change.

Several years later, newcomers to Hawaii had new ideas for the native dance and the Modern Hula came to be called: "Haole Hula." Rattles, drums, and other instruments accompanied the dance.

I've been to Hawaii and seen Hula before this trip, but it's completely new to Biajee. We both think it's exotic and lustrous than belly dancing.