Hawaii is a truly beautiful place. Most people know Hawaii for its lovely beaches and its warm sea. However, Hawaii is also a land full of legends. Several old stories have existed for many years on these tropical islands. One of the oldest legends is about a special dance called the hula, which started here more than three hundred years ago.



One hula teacher tells the story of how the dance started. "The hula started, as far as legend tells it, when Hi'iaki: and her good friend Hopoe went down to the beach. And then, when they were there, they noticed the waves... and they imitated the waves. And then they started to use their hands... like portraying the waves. That's how the hula started."



However, not everyone has always liked the hula. In 1820, very religious people from Western countries came to Hawaii. They were surprised by the hula because the dancers were not wearing many clothes. The visitors were so surprised, that they asked the queen of Hawaii to ban the dance.



After that, Hawaiians were not allowed to perform the hula in public for almost sixty years. But that did not mean the dancing stopped. Many dancers still performed the hula in secret. The dance was always there.



Years later, things have changed. At the moment, there is a renewed interest in Hawaiian culture throughout these islands. People of all ages want to study the ancient culture. They want to learn how to dance the hula.



This interest has resulted in an increase in the demand for hula lessons. So, more and more people are attending halaus. Halaus are special schools that teach the hula in the traditional way. These schools also teach the traditional values, and discipline, that go along with the dance.



The hula isn't an easy dance to do. First, the dancers must work very hard to learn it. Then, they have to practise for many hours. If they want to perform the dance for other people, they must be ready and well prepared.



One person who can help dancers prepare is Kumano Palini Kulala. Kumano is a hula teacher. For him, the dance is a way to bring the best of ancient Hawaiian culture to people today.



Kumano says that the dance is not really about the body. He feels that it's more about the mind. He also believes that it's a very spiritual dance. He explains his feelings: "...the hula is more... not so much a physical thing, but more of a mental and a spiritual thing. For (new dancers), the dancing means very little, because for Hawaiians today, many of them don't speak the (Hawaiian) language. So, what I try to do is to bring to mind the reality that they see today."



With the help of people like Kumano, the hula has become an important part of Hawaiian life and culture once again. Because of this, there are now many hula festivals in Hawaii. Every year, the most important hula competition happens in the city of Hilo. Dancers from all of the Hawaiian Islands come together at this festival. The festival is held in the name of a legendary Hawaiian king. This king helped to return the ancient hula dance to its place at the centre of Hawaiian culture.



In the competition, of course the judges look at the way the dancers dance. But they look at more than just that. They also look at the dancers' costumes and their style. The way the person wears a skirt, the colour of his or her costume, and the flowers they wear are all very important.



Today in Hawaii, the ancient hula dance is definitely not done in secret; it's a part of everyday life. It's once again a tradition that people can practise and perform often. It's a tradition that they can see at various festivals. And hopefully, it's a tradition that will continue for years and years to come.





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