20th Annual World Invitational Hula Festival

By Caroline Wright

Photo by Brian Schuckburgh

Few images are more closely identified with the Hawaiian

Islands than that of the hula dancer — a lithe figure in a grass skirt, shoulders draped with lei, every graceful movement evoking the land and its legends.

But hula's appeal, over time, has spread far beyond the Hawaiian Islands. Like surfboards and ukuleles, hula now belongs to the world.

Over the years, hula halau (schools) from all over the planet have traveled thousands of miles to participate in the World Invitational Hula Festival, a celebration of native Hawaiian dance, language, and culture. They've come from a surprising variety of locations, including Canada, Germany, Guam, the Netherlands, Iran, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sweden, Western Samoa and, of course, the Mainland United States.

And participants and judges hail from all of the Hawaiian Islands. One of the festival's language judges is from tiny Niihau, the "Forbidden Isle," where the primary language is Hawaiian.

In ancient Hawaii, hula was an extraordinarily demanding and sometimes dangerous art. Dances were offerings to deities and considered sacred; it was believed that the smallest of errors could provoke the wrath of the gods.

Even today, hula requires commitment, cultural education and spiritual discipline. A serious dancer often focuses intensely on perfecting techniques and perpetuating tradition. She probably spent hundreds of hours learning to make her hands echo the shapes of nature, and how to roll her feet in liquid movements that took years to master. She might have strung her intricate lei, and perhaps even made her flowing skirt of ti leaves, with her own hands.

Over three days, dancers at the World Invitational Hula Festival will demonstrate their commitment to the ancient Hawaiian legacy of storytelling through movement. Achievement awards will be given in fourteen categories for groups and soloists, wahine (female) and kane (male), and hula in both the kahiko (ancient) and 'auana (modern) styles.

This year's festival, the 20th anniversary of the first event, promises to be bigger than ever. Held at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu Nov. 10-12, the festival will also include traditional island crafts such as clothing, musical instruments, jewelry, and other items created with ancient methods, and opportunities to enjoy both Lomi Lomi (authentic Hawaiian massage) and kawa, the relaxing beverage brewed with ground 'awa root.

 

20th Annual World Invitational Hula Festival Date: November 10, 11, 12, 2011 Location: Waikiki Shell, Kapiolani Park, Honolulu Cost: $10-$35/1-day pass; $30-$90/3-day pass Website: www.worldhula.com

Multimedia Compilation from the 2010 festival: http://youtu.be/Dc4V7JFgYWo Men's halau from Guam performs hula kahiko: http://youtu.be/DqaJIiwZsBA Women's halau from British Columbia, Canada performs hula kahiko: http://youtu.be/T7OahNkLi3c Women's halau from Mexico performs hula `auana: http://youtu.be/v9bPQdc8ZDo Halau from New York City performs combined hula kahiko: http://youtu.be/x4_qw0834_8

Current Specials - Oahu

Hot Clicks - All Islands