Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula

In Short

This volume serves as a comprehensive, ethnological survey of the hula as it was practiced in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It meticulously catalogs the hula’s diverse forms—from the courtly ala’a-papa to the puppet-driven hula ki’i—while documenting the rigorous training, religious consecration, and complex lyrical structure required of every dancer. By anchoring the dance within the context of Hawaiian mythology and the worship of the goddess Laka, the work functions as a vital record of a culture navigating profound historical transition.

The Story

The text begins by establishing the hula as far more than a recreational performance; it is a profound religious institution steeped in tabu. The reader is introduced to the halau, or school, where aspiring dancers undergo a period of strict discipline and spiritual preparation. Central to this life is the altar, or kuahu, a site of constant ritual where the goddess Laka is invoked. The author explains that the dancer’s journey is one of gradual initiation, moving from the novice stage to professional mastery, defined by the ability to memorize vast repertoires of mele (chants) and oli (songs) without the benefit of a written script.

As the narrative progresses, it categorizes the various styles of dance. Each section focuses on a specific hula, detailing the instruments used—such as the ipu (gourd drum), the pahu (kettle-drum), or the bamboo kaekeeke—and the specific movements required for each performance. The author highlights the ala’a-papa as a stately, noble form of dance, while contrasting it with more energetic or intimate variants like the hula kilu. Throughout, the technical aspects of the performance, such as the use of the ai-ha’a—a vocal technique involving a growling, deep-throated delivery—are analyzed for their emotional resonance and role in the liturgy.

The book moves toward an exploration of the musical and lyrical foundations of the art. The reader encounters an intricate world of poetry where nature imagery, wind names, and geographical markers serve as metaphors for human emotion and historical memory. The author candidly addresses the challenges of recording these oral traditions, noting the "vexed questions" of accuracy among different kumu-hula (masters) and the inevitable variations that occur when transmitting chants across islands and generations.

The story concludes with a broad review of the hula’s place in the broader Hawaiian landscape. By looking at the mele as "verbal bouquets" and "affectionate sacrifices," the author shifts the focus from the physical act of dancing to the underlying philosophical framework. The final chapters provide a synthesis of the musical intervals, the significance of the dancer's costume, and the enduring power of the chant to bridge the gap between the mundane world and the divine. The ending reflects a preservationist’s spirit, acknowledging that while the tradition is changing, the core of the art remains a vital vessel for Hawaiian identity and history.

How It Unfolds

The Sacred Foundation The author defines the halau as a sanctuary of learning, governed by strict religious protocols and a profound devotion to the goddess Laka. These initial chapters establish the hula as a rite of passage, emphasizing the spiritual burden carried by the dancer.

The Ritual of Consecration Detailed descriptions of the altar and the dressing rituals reveal how the dancer’s body and environment are transformed through floral offerings and sacred chants. The reader learns that every leaf and blossom placed upon the kuahu acts as a physical manifestation of the deity’s presence.

The Taxonomy of Dance The book transitions into a technical catalog of specific hula forms, ranging from the dignified courtly dances to performance-based styles involving marionettes. Each entry explains the mechanical requirements of the instruments and the specific thematic concerns of the accompanying chants.

The Complexity of Oral Tradition The narrative pauses to analyze the difficulty of documenting a tradition that relies solely on human memory. By comparing local variants and addressing the rivalries among kumu-hula, the author exposes the tensions inherent in translating an ephemeral, spoken culture into a fixed, written record.

The Synthesis of Movement and Tone The final section examines the technical nuances of gesture and vocalization. The author explores how the "tone-embroidery" of the voice and the orbital motions of the body work in tandem to convey deep, often subtle, human emotions.

The People

Laka stands as the central, guiding figure of the entire work. As the patron goddess of the hula, she is the silent presence behind every altar, the recipient of every prayer, and the source of the dancer’s inspiration. Her nature is described as elusive and sylvan, embodying the raw beauty of the forest and the disciplined grace of the stage.

The kumu-hula, or master teacher, acts as the primary human intermediary. These individuals carry the weight of tradition; they are the keepers of the mele and the final arbiters of correctness. Through the author's interactions with them—such as the master who inherited the sacred marionettes—the reader sees the kumu-hula as a figure of authority, sometimes possessive of their knowledge yet ultimately responsible for the survival of the art.

The olapa (dancers) and hoopaa (musicians and chanters) represent the functional heart of the halau. Their roles, though distinct, are unified by the necessity of perfect synchronization. The author highlights specific practitioners, such as Kualii and his wife Abigaila, to illustrate the collaborative nature of the performance, showing how their partnership—where one serves as prompter and the other as dancer—demonstrates the communal effort required to keep the ancient memory alive.

In Its Own Voice

Regarding the nature of the chants:

From one point of view these pule are not to be regarded as prayers in the ordinary sense of the word, but rather as song-offerings, verbal bouquets, affectionate sacrifices to the gods.

On the nature of the Hawaiian deity:

The infatuated mortal, smitten with hopeless passion, offers blandishments; he finds himself by the roadside embracing a rock.

On the intellectual humility required of a master:

It would be well for each kumu-hula to have kept in mind the wise adage that shines among the sayings of his nation: Aohe pau ka ike i kau halau—“Think not that all of wisdom resides in you halau.”

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an inquiry into the preservation of human memory in the absence of a written language. It asks how a society maintains its history and sacred values when its primary "books" are human minds. The author treats the hula not as a mere collection of songs, but as a complex intellectual system that encodes environmental, genealogical, and cosmological knowledge. By focusing on the mele as a "literary" form, the book argues that Hawaiian culture possesses a sophisticated, indigenous rhetoric. It challenges the reader to consider the fluidity of oral tradition as a strength rather than a failure, suggesting that the "slight variations" in chants are evidence of a living, breathing history that adapts to the shifting landscapes of the islands.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in folklore, anthropology, or the history of performing arts will find this an invaluable primary source. It provides an immersive, tactile experience; the author describes the sensory reality of the halau, from the scent of turmeric and wood to the rhythmic sound of gourds against a matted earth floor. It is a work of immense patience, valuing the specific over the general, and the voice of the practitioner over the speculation of the outsider.

However, the modern reader should be prepared for the dense, scholarly prose of the early twentieth century, which often reflects the paternalistic and romanticizing attitudes of that period. The text assumes a certain level of familiarity with linguistic structures and botanical terms, occasionally requiring a careful navigation of the provided glossary. Because it documents a world that has undergone radical change, the book can feel both archival and elegiac. It is not a quick read, but rather a deliberate study. Those who stay with it will be rewarded with a profound appreciation for the "charm of woven paces and of waving hands," and a clear-eyed understanding of the intellectual rigor required to sustain an oral tradition against the relentless passage of time.