The hula is a type of traditional
Hawaiian dance which is accompanied
by chants and instrumentation. There
are several kinds of related dance
across greater Polynesia. Since
contact with the West, the instruments
and chanting used in the in hula have
integrated new elements, including
polyphonic singing and the ukulele.
Hula was performed for a variety of
reasons, from highest ritual to simple
socialization. The hula dancer’s hand
motions are used to represent elements
in the song, from the undulation of the
sea to waving trees, to emotions of the
characters. After hula nearly devolved
into cultural kitsch, a serious effort
to revive the ancient styles of hula
began in earnest in Hawaii.
Caption this Meme
