Even though Hula nowadays also encompasses a number of modern renditions that are sometimes held more in the spirit of entertainment (think Elvis in Hawai’i), the deep roots of tradition, and the spiritual aspects are still nearly always present.

Similar to the ceremonies of e.g. Zen Buddhist monks, the individual participant is meant to “see the picture” of the whole, and perform in unison within that picture. All while telling the important stories of Hawai’ian history both physically and through sound, often on multiple levels of meaning, including deeply spiritual ones.

In addition, the tones and vibrations of the chants themselves are meant to prepare and “set right” the energy for whatever the object of the particular performance may be.

Enjoy the video of this great performance during the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Notice “the picture” moving in exquisite unison:

Notice the famous entrance chant “Ho’opuka” (1:10 in), which translates to “Make a hole in the sun, and find the light behind the light” at the spiritual translation level. It has traditionally been used in all situations of entrance or beginning to set the energy right for what is to follow.

Found another great one here, this is also very traditional and in a more raw setting than at the festival. Masterful drumming on the Ipu heke (gourd drum):

The dancers in a Hula Halau (school) such as these have likely been dancing since they were about 3-5 years old, and practice for many years before they are ever allowed to perform in a more public performance. Their dedication is simply incredible.

The Hawai’ian Goddess of Fire, Pele, is thought to reside at the Halema’uma’u pit crater, inside the larger Kilauea summit caldera (learn more here).

The Big Island of Hawai’i is itself composed of 5 different volcanoes, the two largest of which, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, reach just under 13,800 ft. and 13,700 ft. above sea level respectively.

Amazingly, when considering that the island rises for many thousands of feet (19,000 or so!) straight from the Pacific Ocean floor, both mountains are actually taller than Mount Everest, making them candidates for the tallest mountains on the planet!

The Hawai’ian Island Chain – notice the connection between the islands. When you zoom out far enough to see the entire Pacific Rim, you can tell that Hawai’i is located more or less right at the center of the so-called “Ring of Fire”, the volcanic and seismic activity that runs from Japan to Alaska to the U.S. West Coast (St. Andreas fault, etc.). Some people believe that this configuration makes the Hawai’ian Islands one of a handful of energetic power centers of the planet.

The “Big Island” of Hawai’i – you can see the lava flow patterns from past eruptions of Mouna Loa, Mouna Kea, and Kilauea. The greenish “collar” of areas south of “Captain Cook” towards South Point, and from there back up toward the Kilauea Volcano, contain many of the Macadamia Nut farms of the Island. That’s where the Mac Nuts you may enjoy (chocolate covered or not :) are coming from! Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, standing both near 13,800 feet, sometimes have snow caps at the top!

The Kilauea Volcano caldera and Halem’auma’u pit crater – standing inside of the caldera is an awe-inspiring sight to behold in the truest sense of the word. If you take the time to hike from the Volcano House at the top of the rim down through the caldera to the Halema’uma’u pit crater (thought to be the home of the Hawai’ian Goddess Pele), you will see a wide variety of lava formations and colors. All throughout there are steam and sulfur vents, the sulfur becoming most intense near Halema’uma’u. In the last year, there have actually been several small yet spectacular lava “fountain” erruptions at Halema’uma’u.

South Point, the southernmost point in any U.S. State! – the bars, restaurants, etc. in the nearby towns and hamlets love to lay claim to their very own “Southernmost [xyz] in the U.S.” fame.

Pu’uhonua O Honaunau – City of Refuge – the satellite image shows the layout of these sacred grounds, which are now a National Park. In the center, you can see the large lava rock platform built behind the “Kane Stone”, a large, oblong lava boulder (similar to Stonehenge type rocks). You can see the outline of the massive lava rock wall to the east and south.

Almost directly due east you can make out a small white “break” in the wall which is actually a ceremonial entrance. At the northernmost tip of the wall you can make out another black square, which is a smaller platform with a traditional grass hut for offerings and other ceremonial uses, surrounded by a wood fence and a good number of exquisite Tikis (wood sculpture totems).

In ancient times Honaunau represented a form of sanctuary from the Kapu (“Taboo”) System, in that anyone would be safe from persecution and almost certain death once inside the walls, regardless of their infraction. There, they would live and work for years, while also working on a personal journey of atonement and forgiveness under the guidance of the Kahuna in charge of the sanctuary.

It is noteworthy that the safe boundary of the grounds existed only by convention and agreement, as none of the outer or inner walls, regardless of size, could hold back a determined attacker. The walls must thus be seen as mostly symbolic, they were literally “walls in the mind”… ceremonial and spiritual in nature.

Keauhou, Hawai’i – “Spiritual shelter persisting though time” – The “Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort” hotel – built around and among sacred and historical grounds, among them King Kalākaua’s Vacation Home and Bathing Pond, the Fish God lava rock monument, the Ali’i (Royalty) Birthing Pond, and several Heiau (Temple) ruins toward the ocean shoreline. The adjoining property to the South has a number of important Heiau ruins as well, which are currently being restored and made part of a cultural center and public park.

Having only 7 consonants in addition to the 5 vowels

To give an idea of this, a given Hawai’ian chant might have a rather straightforward surface level meaning describing e.g. the legends of the Hawai’ian pantheon of Gods and Goddesses, or the pursuits of royalty (Ali’i).

The same chant will typically contain however one or more additional layers, e.g. one with a more political motivation, a further one with a spiritual context, asf.

Sometimes there is a so-called “Kaona” – a key – present that may provide guidance on this matter, but often the layers of translation can only be arrived at by the most diligent translation work.

Here is a link to a useful on-line Hawai’ian dictionary. I also recommend Tad James’ “Lost Secrets of Ancient Hawai’ian Huna, Vol. II – Chants”, as a handy resource. It combines the texts of some of the most typical chants, along with a collated “dictionary of dictionaries” of most of the relevant terms used in those chants and all of their possible meanings.

One more item of great importance about the Hawai’ian language and its forms of chanting: The language “has breath”, that is, it is spoken with vigorous aspiration from the center of the body. It has a certain energy and quality to its sounds, such that the only meaningful comparison would be to something like the Gregorian Chants.

A useful anecdote in this regard is the formation of the term that the Hawai’ians first used for the newly arrived Westerners, which is now a Hawai’ian slang term and used with derogatory connotation by some:

Ha-ole (pronounced “Haulee” in the slang), literally means, “without breath” or also “white, as if dead” or “ghost”, and refers to the natives perception of English being a language without breath. Wherefore they were concerned for the newcomers’ health, fearing them sick and almost dead, which in their eyes explained the white complexion.

Even the word “Hawai’i” itself comes from the roots of Ha – “breath”, Wai – “water” / “life force”, and ‘i’ – “supreme”, taken together: “The Supreme Life Force that rides on the breath”. Incidentally, since only the Big Island is formally named “Hawai’i”, the naming of all of the Islands by that term indicates the shared understanding of the great principle behind the name.