Halau hula
Encyclopedia
A hālau hula is a school in which the ancient Hawaii
an dance form called hula
is taught. The term comes from hālau, a workshed, and hula, the traditional dance of the Hawaiian Islands. Prior to European contact, the Hawaiian language had no word for "school," as children learned from their parents, aunts, uncles, and elders. Children who showed promise in a specialized art or craft would be apprenticed to a master and work in the master's hālau. School, as a specialized place of instruction, did not exist in Hawai`i prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries.
In ancient times, students joining a hālau hula would be dedicated solely to the study of hula for the duration of their training. Their families would provide maintenance for the support of the hālau. Today, students have set hours for study at the hālau, and often pay monthly dues to help the kumu, roughly "headmaster" of the hālau with support and maintenance.
There is great variation between hālau. Some focus primarily on ancient styles of hula, others on modern styles, and some study both. Some hālau continue to preserve very strict kapu, sacred protocols, while others are noa, or free of kapu. The styles of hula taught in different hālau also can vary greatly. Styles are passed down from kumu to haumana, and knowledgeable students of hula can tell which hula lineage is represented by watching the dancer's presentation.
Location of hālau also can vary widely, from the garage of the kumu's home to community centers to the lawns of parks, hālau hula can be found dancing wherever there is space and interested students.
The po`o pua`a, or head student, is often the kumu's protege, and under the direction of the kumu oversees the protocols and rituals of the hālau.
The `alaka`i, "guides," act as teaching assistants. The more advanced `alaka`i are effectively student teachers. `Alaka`i often will assist less experienced haumana with their lessons, and coach them with the more difficult steps and moves.
Kokua, helpers, assist in a variety of areas, from lei making, to helping other haumana dress, to making the phone calls, doing fund raising, and helping the `alaka`i to coach less experienced students.
Haumana, the students, range in age from toddlers to senior citizens.
or forbidden rules of conduct which banned the cutting of hair and the practicing of any kind of sexual activity
. Presently halau hula each have their own set of rules for their haumana. Many halau hula today still enforce the ancient kapu of cutting one's hair.
Each year, the Merrie Monarch Festival
is held in Hilo, where the distinctive style of each hālau can be seen.
s between the verses of songs.
The hela is a step occupying a one beat count and requires one to point out one foot
at a time in front of one's body. The foot slides forward just above, and parallel to, the ground in a graceful point.
The `uehe is done by lifting and setting back one foot then elevating both heels and pushing the knees forward rapidly. Depending on the style of `uehe, the knees may move straight forward or at angles of up to 45 degrees from the center line. The lifted foot alternates.
The ami requires the dancer to rotate his or her hips in an elliptical motion while keeping both feet firmly planted on the ground.
Each of the steps has many variants.
All of the basic steps in hula require the shoulder
s to remain steady and both knees to be in a bent position at all times.
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
an dance form called hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
is taught. The term comes from hālau, a workshed, and hula, the traditional dance of the Hawaiian Islands. Prior to European contact, the Hawaiian language had no word for "school," as children learned from their parents, aunts, uncles, and elders. Children who showed promise in a specialized art or craft would be apprenticed to a master and work in the master's hālau. School, as a specialized place of instruction, did not exist in Hawai`i prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries.
In ancient times, students joining a hālau hula would be dedicated solely to the study of hula for the duration of their training. Their families would provide maintenance for the support of the hālau. Today, students have set hours for study at the hālau, and often pay monthly dues to help the kumu, roughly "headmaster" of the hālau with support and maintenance.
There is great variation between hālau. Some focus primarily on ancient styles of hula, others on modern styles, and some study both. Some hālau continue to preserve very strict kapu, sacred protocols, while others are noa, or free of kapu. The styles of hula taught in different hālau also can vary greatly. Styles are passed down from kumu to haumana, and knowledgeable students of hula can tell which hula lineage is represented by watching the dancer's presentation.
Location of hālau also can vary widely, from the garage of the kumu's home to community centers to the lawns of parks, hālau hula can be found dancing wherever there is space and interested students.
Internal Structure of Hālau Hula
Internal structure of hālau also can vary quite a bit, but in general a hālau hula is led by a kumu hula. The position is roughly equivalent to that of headmaster of a private school. The kumu is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the style and traditions handed down by the kumu's own kumu. The kumu is responsible for the spiritual integrity of the hālau, and the kumu is responsible to instruct the students to properly care for their own physical well being by teaching good exercise, dietary, and hygenic practices through instruction and example.The po`o pua`a, or head student, is often the kumu's protege, and under the direction of the kumu oversees the protocols and rituals of the hālau.
The `alaka`i, "guides," act as teaching assistants. The more advanced `alaka`i are effectively student teachers. `Alaka`i often will assist less experienced haumana with their lessons, and coach them with the more difficult steps and moves.
Kokua, helpers, assist in a variety of areas, from lei making, to helping other haumana dress, to making the phone calls, doing fund raising, and helping the `alaka`i to coach less experienced students.
Haumana, the students, range in age from toddlers to senior citizens.
History
In ancient times, halau hula training was strict. Haumana were put on kapuKapu
Kapu refers to the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations. The kapu system was universal in lifestyle, gender roles, politics, religion, etc. An offense that was kapu was often a corporal offense, but also often denoted a threat to spiritual power, or theft of mana. Kapus were...
or forbidden rules of conduct which banned the cutting of hair and the practicing of any kind of sexual activity
Sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence is the practice of refraining from some or all aspects of sexual activity for medical, psychological, legal, social, philosophical or religious reasons.Common reasons for practicing sexual abstinence include:*poor health - medical celibacy...
. Presently halau hula each have their own set of rules for their haumana. Many halau hula today still enforce the ancient kapu of cutting one's hair.
Each year, the Merrie Monarch Festival
Merrie Monarch Festival
The Merrie Monarch Festival is a week-long cultural festival that takes place annually in Hilo, Hawaii. It honors King David Kalākaua, who was called the "Merrie Monarch" for his patronage of the arts. He is credited with restoring many Hawaiian cultural traditions during his reign, including the...
is held in Hilo, where the distinctive style of each hālau can be seen.
Curriculum
Four basic steps are commonly used in all halau hula. The kaholo, or travel step usually consists of four beats. This step is probably one of the most common, especially for beginning students of hula, when a mele or song is danced. The kaholo is often the dance step used during the "vamp," musical measureBar (music)
In musical notation, a bar is a segment of time defined by a given number of beats of a given duration. Typically, a piece consists of several bars of the same length, and in modern musical notation the number of beats in each bar is specified at the beginning of the score by the top number of a...
s between the verses of songs.
The hela is a step occupying a one beat count and requires one to point out one foot
Foot
The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...
at a time in front of one's body. The foot slides forward just above, and parallel to, the ground in a graceful point.
The `uehe is done by lifting and setting back one foot then elevating both heels and pushing the knees forward rapidly. Depending on the style of `uehe, the knees may move straight forward or at angles of up to 45 degrees from the center line. The lifted foot alternates.
The ami requires the dancer to rotate his or her hips in an elliptical motion while keeping both feet firmly planted on the ground.
Each of the steps has many variants.
All of the basic steps in hula require the shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
s to remain steady and both knees to be in a bent position at all times.
Notable halau hula
- Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu, Kumu Hula Sonny Ching (Honolulu)
- Halau Na Meakanu O Laka O Hawai'i, Kumu Rolanda Mohala Valentin Reese (Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CACaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) http://www.halaunameakanu.com, http://www.kpac4m.com - Halau Hula Olana, Kumu Hula Howard and Olana Ai (Pearl City, Hawaii)
- Hula Halau 'O Kamuela, Kumu Hula Kaui Kamana'o (KalihiKalihithumb|300px|Historically, Kalihi was an [[ahupua'a|ahupuaʻa]], or area of land ruled by chief or king and managed by the members of the [[alii|alii]]Kalihi is a neighborhood community of Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, United States...
/Waimanalo, Hawaii) - Na Lei 'O Kaholoku, Kumu Hula Nani Lim Yap and Leialoha Amina (KohalaKohalaKohala may refer to:*Kohala, Hawaii, two districts on the island of Hawaii*Kohala , an extinct volcano in Hawaii*Kohala, Pakistan, a city*Kohala Bridge, a bridge*Kohala, Jalandhar a village in Punjab, India...
, Hawaii) - Halau Mohala 'Ilima, Kumu Hula Mapuana de Silva (Ka'ohao, Kailua, Hawaii)
- Halau Hula a Kawika laua 'o Leinani, Kumu Hula Kawika Viloria and Leinani Viloria (Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
) - Keali'i 'O Nalani, Kumu Hula Keali'i Ceballos (Los Angeles)
- Aloha 'Aina, Kumu Hula Verena Kainz (Salzburg, Austria)
- Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, Kumu Patrick Makuakane (San Francisco, CA)