Hula & Hula Events

Hula is performed in Hawaii year round—at backyard parties, school events, resort dinner shows, shopping malls, cultural festivals, even on opening day of the state legislature. You know you’re really in the Islands when a Hawaiian song is played, and a woman or man spontaneously rises from the audience and performs a hula.

The biggest, most dazzling hula competition in the world takes place for a week each March-April in Hilo on Hawaii Island. The Merrie Monarch Festival is named after King David Kalakaua, who is beloved for reviving hula in the late 19th century, after decades of disapproval by Christian missionaries. In the days preceding each year’s Merrie Monarch Festival; hula dancers from around the world make their pilgrimage to the rim of Kilauea Crater to honor fire goddess Pele, who has always loomed large in hula dances *and chants.

The hula was born in ancient Hawaii and is still a powerful means of sharing myths and legends, as well as everyday life. The dance, which may move to a chant, drum beats or lilting music, uses the body to tell a story. There are hula that celebrate pro-creation, and others that honor the land and sea, the flowers and cliffs and flowing lava. Hula depicts tales of tragic lovers, comic animals and petulant gods.

The kumu hula (teacher) leads his or her halau (school). The kumu and haumana (students) normally practice several times a week. Hula is about much more than dance. It is about the stories, the language, the chants and mele (songs), the plants from which instruments and adornments are made the entire Hawaiian culture. Hula dancers learn where to gather certain ferns and flowers sacred to hula. They learn how to make instruments like the uliuli, a gourd filled with seeds or small shells and decorated with feathers. They learn how to use natural dyes to stamp traditional designs into kapa cloth. They learn that the word for “dancer” is “ olapa ,” which is also the name of a native tree whose leaves sway in the breeze.

There are two fundamental types of hula. Auana is the more modern style with fluid, graceful movements, smiling faces and bright, festive costumes—all of it to the tune of songs with guitars and vocals written from the 19th century to today. Kahiko is the ancient form, accompanied by dramatic chants with drums and other percussive instruments driving forceful, even war-like movements that are like ancient petroglyphs come alive. Faces are usually stern, and costumes more traditional.

Today, hula is in full flower across Hawaii. If you come to the Islands without seeing hula, you have not truly been here. And the more of it you see, the better you will understand this olelo (saying) from King David Kalakaua that has been adopted by the Merrie Monarch Festival: “Hula is the language of the heart, therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.”

Venues where hula can be seen include:

• luau at hotels and resorts
• shopping centers and malls; i.e. Kings’ Shops at the Waikoloa Resort on Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings
• Kilauea Crater at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in January, March, May, June and August
• Hulihee Palace in Kona on the 4th Sunday of every month at 4 p.m.
• Hawaiian cultural events, such as Lei Day festivities from May 1 – May 31; many Aloha Festivals events from Aug. 30 – Sept. 30; festivals honoring Hawaiian monarchs such as the King Kalakaua Festival in April, King Kamehameha Day on June 11 and the Queen Liliuokalani observance in September; Hawaiian holidays; and most Hawaiian music events.
• Annual cultural festivals at national parks
• Many other local / cultural events.
• Get a taste of hula at the Kings’ Shops at the Waikoloa Resort in free classes on Wednesdays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Hula festivals

George Naope Kane Hula Festival (early June)
This festival begins with a concert to honor hula master, teacher and National Endowment for the Arts award winner George Naope, on Wednesday, followed by three days of competition for Hawaii’s male hula dancers, performing solo or in groups. Held in Hilo.
(808) 969-3003.

Merrie Monarch Hula Festival (follows Easter Sunday)
Hawaii’s most venerable hula celebration and competition with week-long festivities including exhibitions, music, arts and crafts fairs, etc. Held in Hilo.
(808) 935-9168 or visit www.merriemonarchfestival.org.

Iolani Luahine Hula Festival and Hula Scholarship Competition (first weekend in February)
This event honors Hawaii Island’s cherished cultural historian, legendary Hula Master and Living Treasure of Hawaii, Iolani Luahine. Held on the Kona Inn lawn overlooking Kailua Bay. Fee: $5 donation. Contact: (808) 935-3461

Moku o Keawe International Festival (2nd week of November)
Competition by hula halau (troupes) from Hawai‘i, Japan and elsewhere competing in kupuna (senior), auana (ancient) and kahiko (modern) hula divisions. Workshops and cultural classes throughout the event at Waikoloa Resort. Call (808) 886-1655 or visit www.mokuokeawe.org.

Na Mea Hawai’i Hula Kahiko (January) – Traditional hula and chant are performed outdoors on the hula platform overlooking Kilauea Crater at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Hawaiian crafts demonstrations at Volcano Art Center Gallery from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free (Park entrance fees apply). Other performances set for March, May, June and August. Call (808) 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

He Launa Aloha No Ka Mo’i Kalakaua (April) – The life, times, music, and dance of the Hawaiian Monarchy era will be featured at the summer playground of King Kalakaua, the beautiful Kalakaua Park. The day will honor the kind and feature hula, singing, ukulele playing, storytelling, food and crafts.
9 a.m – 3 p.m. Free! Information: (808) 933-9772 or amoon@bigisland.com

Queen Lili‘uokalani Festival (September) – This festival celebrates the birthday of Hawai‘i’s beloved Queen Lili’uokalani, the last reigning monarch of Hawai‘i. It is held in the beautiful surroundings of the Queen’s historical namesake, Japanese-style gardens in central Hilo. Hula performances by local hula halau (schools). Contact (808) 961-8706 for more information.