Even in Hawaiian legend, one canβt quite pinpoint the exact birthplace of hula. Wherever its precise origin may be, one thing is certain, hula always tells a story. Hula has survived for centuries through the teachings of devout cultural practitionersβeven despite a time when the Hawaiian language was outlawedβand is perhaps Hawaiβiβs most beautiful, living cultural treasure. Accompanied by ancient and modern chants to convey oral history with beats created by traditional instruments like the ipu (gourd drum) and pahu (sharkskin covered drum), hula is perpetuated in the Hawaiian Islands today through numerous hΔlau (instruction houses). HΔlau from every island congregate and perform at the most iconic and culturally significant hula event of the year, the annual Merrie Monarch Festival in historic Hilo town on Hawaiβi Island. It is through this festival and hulaβs many practitioners, that Hawaiβiβs special dance, and its stories, live on.
Brandy Serikaku has performed hula most of her life and is now a cultural practitioner in her own right, sharing the stories and deep layers of meaning with the next generation. She has participated in the renowned Merrie Monarch Festival and has mastered not only the art of hula, but also shares her knowledge for creating handmade hula attire, made from native Hawaiian plants. Brandy shares with us the importance of hula to share Hawaiian culture.Β
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How long have you been performing hula?
Hula was pretty much my whole childhood. I started dancing when I was 4, when we moved from Oβahu to Hilo. I continued to dance through high school and college, even after I started my own family. I learned from all of the different aunties who ran the class along side Uncle Johnny, my kumu hula. Not just hula, but how to present myself, to get ready and prepare for shows, to practice, to commit, βI think it really set a good foundation for me. Hula raised me. I belong to this hΔlau. I belong to this family. And they showed me the world. Hula really is the beginning of everything for me. Itβs how I got into Hawaiian language and how I was able to travel.
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How do you use hula to share your stories and culture?
Everything thatΚΌs here on this island is unique to HawaiΚ»i. We have the cleanest air, the freshest water, and the tallest mountains. We have the honor to live in PeleΚΌs backyard and call it home. Hula is HawaiΚ»iΚΌs, and I feel like when we share it, we share the beauty of HawaiΚ»i, our version, and I think thatΚΌs what is most important. It highlights everything that we feel- how special HawaiΚ»i is to us. We share this feeling through the stories in hula.Β
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What's the importance of making your costumes and how much time and effort goes into each piece?
It all begins with thinking of how much time and effort your kumu put into creating the song. Teaching the dance and making the story come alive through the dancers. So you have to take that same respect into making your costume because itΚΌs also another extension of your story, of your environment, and a reflection of your kumu.Β Surfing is also known as the sport ofΒ aliβi, or kings, because it was a favorite pastime of the ruling elite. They rode wooden boards over 14 feet long that were solely designed for the chiefs.Β AliβiΒ were also known to declare a wave or entire beachΒ kapu, or off limits, so that they could snatch the best waves without a crowd. We see theΒ aliβiβs mark on surfing even today, especially at breaks like Queenβs in WaikΔ«kΔ«, which was named in the early 1900s for Queen Liliβuokalani. The perfectly peeling wave fronted her beach home and was one of her favorite breaks.
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What is the significance of hula?
The dance is an offering not just to the audience, but itΚΌs the offering to the land, the place where you went to pick all the things to make your costumes from. ItΚΌs an offering to your kupuna who are listening and watching. ItΚΌs the offering to people who arenΚΌt there. ItΚΌs the beauty of the Hawaiian language and Hawaiian perspective in rhythm and motion.Β Β
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