The Hawaiian Islands are among the most beautiful and amazing places on the planet. Many see it as a "paradise" with all the sights and sceneries that would just take your breath away. However, not many people know, that aside from the beauty that Hawaii has, it is also rich in culture and tradition that makes it an even more enchanting place to visit. Here are two of the more popular Hawaiian traditions.
Hula
The hula or the Hawaiian dance is not only considered as a proud statement of the natives' cultural identity but also a wonderful celebration of life. The hula is said to have originated from Pele, the Hawaiian fire goddess. Pele ordered Laka, her younger sister, to dance. Laka was later on known as the goddess of dance. Soon after, schools and temples were set up in honor of Laka. Dancers lived in the temple and were subjected to laborious training regimes that were befitting the sacredness of the art of hula.
Hula was used as the method by which the ancient inhabitants of Hawaii passed stories and legends along to later generations. Ancient hula or hula kahiko makes use of chanting and dancing to relate the proud history, ceremonies, customs and the traditions of ancient Hawaii. On the other hand, modern hula or hula auwana combines music and dance for a more joyous, playful and spirited storytelling of contemporary life in Hawaii.
Missionaries who arrived in Hawaii in the 1820s considered hula to be a bit evocative. They declared it as a pagan practice. Later on, during King David Kalakaua's reign, Hawaiian customs were revived, including hula and other sports activities. He said that hula was the language of the heart, making it the heartbeat of Hawaiian people.
Today, many people from all walks of life and different cultures study and practice the dance techniques of hula, as it is considered as one of the most beautiful forms of art.
Lei-making
A lei is a series of various objects made into a garland which is worn as a necklace. It is usually created by stringing flowers to make a single or multiple strands with ends that are tied together. A lei could be flat and wide or round and thick. Sometimes, a lei is not made from flowers. For instance, maile, which is a fragrant vine that has shiny green leaves, is also used as a lei that is draped around the neck or placed on an altar.
In the past, the presence of lei was a symbol of special Hawaiian occasions like when the villagers assembled to tread taro patches before planting or when they celebrated their efforts to build one of the homes of the villagers. In these situations, the lei was seen as a symbol of sharing.
Today, flower leis are used for honoring birthdays and graduation as well as for weddings and other special ceremonies. Islanders also put on leis as they recognize May 1 as Lei Day or May Day. They also don leis during the festivities of Aloha Week festivities which take place during the fall.
