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Student Name
ENGL 101
Molly Tenenbaum
28 July 2014
Speaking Through Movement
Hawaii is known as a tropical oasis, where there is always warm sunshine beaming down on the sparkling sand along the deep turquoise beaches. Of the most popular images, there is also the famous bobble head hula girl that wears a coconut bra and lei with a grass skirt, playing the ukulele. Although hula may be considered an iconic dance and a must-see to tourists, many outsiders do not realize the historical and cultural significance that hula holds to Hawaii and its people.
The art of dance has been practiced since the earliest human civilizations. Through dance, people were able to convey their society’s emotions and ideas at a certain point in time. Dance was an integral part of ceremonial rituals and various celebrations and was often accompanied by some type of beat or tune, as well as special, custom-made outfits that the dancers wore to add to the visual performance. At the end of the show, the dance somehow added to the audience and dancer’s knowledge. Hula is the ideal traditional dance because preserves the ancient Hawaiian culture, educates both natives and non-natives, and makes those who dance hula proud of their culture.
The tradition of hula preserves the values of the ancient Hawaiian society by serving as a physical translation of cultural and spiritual stories. The actual movements typically correspond to the meaning of the words in the song or chant, and when several gestures are put together, they create a line of a story. There are countless hand motions that are used to illustrate a certain

Kita 2 aspect of nature or emotions. For example, flowers and the ocean are depicted through shaping a hand like a flower or doing a wave motion, and if a hand gesture is near the heart, it could signify love or fondness. When all of these movements are strung together, one after another, and the dance is viewed as a whole, a story that originated years ago is unfolded. Additionally, dancing hula was also part of a religious performance to entertain and communicate with the Hawaiian gods and goddesses. In ancient Hawaii, people survived only off of the natural resources that were available on the land and in the sea. Many believed in a higher power in the form of gods and goddesses, who controlled the elements. In order to prevent any natural disasters or assure that crops would not dry out, individual hula dances were created and dedicated to each of the gods and goddesses.
Hula also serves as a cultural learning experience that teaches both natives and nonnatives about Hawaii through aesthetically pleasing visual and musical performances. The intricately designed outfits are exclusively made from resources found on the islands, revealing how certain plants were utilized and transformed. Fresh leaves were gently woven and braided together to create strands of lei, nuts were carefully strung into bracelets, and the juice of berries were used to stain cloth with its vibrant colors. These plants also carry symbolic meanings, representing goddesses and strength.
Similar to the role of the outfits, the words and tunes that accompanied hula dances also added to the performance by literally reciting the story and establishing particular moods. For instance, if a man recites a chant with a powerful, stern voice, then it is probably associated with strength or war. On the other hand, if a woman is singing very calmly with prolonged notes and there is a relaxing tune, then the song may be trying to portray the beauty of nature.

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Hula was the Hawaiian’s method of documenting life and civilization, so when people dance it, they are able to feel the pride in this culture’s rich history. It has helped Hawaiians, both ethnic and those who grew up in the islands, remember their origins and appreciate all of the many natural wonders found in Hawaii. From the fish in the sea to the plethora of plants that encompass the land, I have personally formed an indescribable relationship with nature and the
Hawaiian culture. The Hawaiian culture really is like no other, and by being able to connect with it through hula, I feel extremely humbled and proud to be apart of such a unique heritage.
Hula is a traditional dance, but in the past century, it has been advertised as a form of entertainment for economic profit targeted towards those visiting the islands, skewing its original beauty. I think it is great that many tourists enjoy the performance, but they cannot enjoy it for what it truly is. This is due mainly to the way hula is exploited – it is perceived as a show where women in grass skirts and coconut bras shake their hips for men. Instead of viewing it as a flirtatious display, everyone should look back to the true purpose of this meaningful dance. If this is done, people will be able to appreciate it as a live history book that exhibits traditional
Hawaiian culture and life. Not many people, including myself, know the symbolic representations of all the body movements and words that are sung, but by watching with a purpose to learn about another culture and its customs, the tradition of hula can be admired for what it really is and not just as a tourist attraction.
Watching hula with the intention of wanting to learn more about where I grew up makes me feel proud to have been exposed to a culture that is only found on several rocks in the Pacific
Ocean. Hula has shown me parts of Hawaiian society that I would not have seen in a textbook, from the way that Hawaiians efficiently used the land to their spiritual beliefs. Seeing Hawaii’s heritage with a different view has introduced me to many new “old” ways of life. Hula is worth

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