Hula — The Heartbeat of Hawaiʻi 💚
- Charlie Snow
- Feb 19
- 3 min read
“Hula is the language of the heart, therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.”— King David Kalākaua
When many people think of Hula, they picture graceful dancers in skirts, swaying to gentle music. While beautiful, this image only touches the surface.
Hula is far more than a dance. It is a living cultural practice — a way of remembering, storytelling, praying, and honouring the land and ancestors of Hawaiʻi. Through movement, chant (oli), and breath, Hula carries genealogy, history, and spiritual knowledge from one generation to the next.
In Hawaiʻi, Hula is danced by people of all genders — wāhine (women), kāne (men), and māhū (those who embody both masculine and feminine spirit). Each dancer carries ʻike (knowledge), mana (life force), and lineage through their body. Hula reflects the Hawaiian values of balance, inclusion, and deep connection to ʻāina (land).
Hula connects people to place. Every gesture in Hula has meaning — they speak of wind, rain, ocean, love, longing, mountains, chiefs, and deities. The body becomes the storyteller.
For many who study within a Hula Hālau (school), Hula is a lifelong devotion. It requires discipline, humility, and service. Students often dedicate years — even decades — to learning chants, movements, history, and protocol. Hula is not simply performed; it is lived.
Two Expressions of Hula
There are two primary styles within the Hula tradition.
One form, known as Kahiko, is rooted in older ceremonial practices. It is powerful, grounded, and often accompanied by chant and traditional instruments such as the ipu (gourd drum) and pahu (sacred drum). The movements can be strong and rhythmic, and the focus is deeply connected to ancestral stories and spiritual protocol.
The other form, known as ʻAuana developed later, influenced by changing times and musical exchange. This style is often performed to melodic songs, accompanied by instruments such as the ʻukulele and guitar. The movement may feel softer or more flowing, while still carrying storytelling and cultural meaning.
Both expressions are authentic. Both carry lineage. Together, they show how Hawaiian culture honours its roots while also adapting and evolving.
Hula and Healing Traditions
In ancient Hawaiʻi, the cultural arts were deeply interconnected. Hula, chant, language, and healing practices such as Lomilomi (Hawaiian massage and bodywork) were not separate disciplines, but woven expressions of the same worldview.
It is said that in earlier times, some of the most skilled Hula dancers were chosen to learn Lomilomi. The qualities cultivated through Hula — rhythm, breath awareness, presence, discipline, and the ability to listen deeply — were essential foundations for healing work.
Both practices require embodiment. Both ask the practitioner to move with aloha — a word often translated as love, but which also holds meanings of presence, compassion, respect, and shared breath.
Hula as Identity and Continuity
Hula has also been a powerful act of cultural preservation and resistance. During periods of colonisation when Hawaiian language and traditions were suppressed, Hula continued to carry stories, identity, and ancestral memory. Today, it remains a vibrant and evolving art form — both ancient and contemporary.
To witness Hula with understanding is to see more than choreography. It is to see culture, relationship, and living history in motion.
If You’d Like to Learn More
Here are two beautiful short films that explore the depth of Hula:
🌿 Hula Is Life: The Sacred Hawaiian Art Form and Its Ancestral Origins
🌿 Hula Is Hawaiʻi
You may also enjoy learning about Kumu Hula Kaumakaiwa Kanakaʻole, an extraordinary Kānaka Maoli artist and cultural bearer whose work continues a powerful family lineage of chant and song.
Hula reminds us that culture can live in the body. That stories can be carried through movement. That connection to land, language, and community matters. 💚
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