Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 05, 1 May 2003 — Bishop Museum presents 'Hula: Dance of Poetry' exhibit [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Bishop Museum presents 'Hula: Dance of Poetry' exhibit

[?]

[?]

By Manu Boyd Since Bishop Museum's establishment as a memonal to Princess Pauahi in 1898, the spirit of the hula has lingered there at Kaiwi'ula, inspiring curators, performers, kama'āina and malihini alike. Volumes of chants and priceless "pono hula" or items associated with Hawai'i's indigenous dance form including pahu, ipu, various other implements, lei, kapa and mueh more have been collected over the years. So the museum's latest exhibition, " Hula : Dance of Poetry " has literally been a "work in progress" for more than a century. In the 1930s, the museum gained a living treasure in Mary Kawena Pūku'i, first a volunteer, then an employee, whose work in Hawaiian ethnology unlocked myriad information and insight into our then-frail native culture. As a hula practitioner, notably as a student of Keahi

Luahine, Kapua and 'īlālā'ole, Mrs. Pūku'i's legacy of hula is an important part of the museum's latest project. Her usefulness as a resource to hula practitioners, musicians and any one interested in the culture she held with high

esteem was priceless. Featured also are legacies of hula legends 'Iolani Luahine, Harriet Nē of Moloka'i and Kau'i Zutteremeister whose line maintains the hula pahu traditions of her unele, Pua Ha'aheo of Kahana. Audio/visual snippets of films and voice recordings add an important dimension to the exhibit, housed in the Harold Kainalu Long Castle Building on the museum campus. A hula garden has been planted with lush examples of kinolau or physical manifestations of Laka, a hula deity. Among them are two principal forms, 'ōhi'a lehua and maile, generally occurring in forest regions. Requiring great care in cultivation are such utilitarian plants as the ipu (gourd) whose product is employed by both the ho opa a (chanter/drummer) and 'ōlapa (dancer). "Hula: Dance of Poetry" opened Apiil 5 and f See HULAon page 16

HULA from page 10 runs through June 1. For information admission fees, discounts and museum hours, visit online at www.bishopmuseum.org, or eall Bishop Museum at 847-3511. "'A'a i ka hula, waiho ka hilahila i ka hale." When one wants to dance the hula, bashfulness should be left at home. E hula mai! ■

riifi i M ■hfta r ni tkkn fftriWrtifir