Sydney Wenger
MUSC 314
Dr Cassandra
Hibbard 17
November 2021 Hula Reflection Essay
Music is a universal expression. Over time music has evolved to serve the needs of
different places and cultures. Because of this, different styles and genres are used to personify
these places and cultures. Hawaii has a very distinctive and unique genre of music affiliated w
its culture called Hula. Hula is considered the soul of Hawaii and has been a part of their cultur
for centuries. Hula continues to flourish to this day in the way it is produced as well as presente
The author of “Hula: The Soul of Hawaii” Tracey Lakainapali writes, “The origins of
hula are open to interpretation. Some believe it came from the ancient civilization of Mu…other
trace it to Tahiti or some other foreign land. For both ancient and modern Hawaiians, the hula i
the essence of life itself”. Hula had a unique beginning in that no one is entirely sure of its exac
origin. This creates a sense of wonder and a want to know more in the natives and the tourists
whether this be a soul-changing venture or just a simple interest.
Hula is constantly growing and changing lyrically as more and more purpose and
intention is put into its creation. Diving into the context of specific hulas it is obvious that the
lyricists wrote each individual song for a clear reason. Some examples include honoring gods,
honoring kings, and simply appreciating the beauty of Hawaii. Hula is filled with beautiful
instrumentation, unique melodies, distinctive body language, and so much more. This makes it
unique to analyze. This level of popularity comes with a variety of challenges. Is there a threat
that Hula will be absorbed into the dance forms of other cultures as time goes on,
making it lose the qualities that make it what it is? Hula was created to tell stories
regardless of how clear and
precise those stories may be. The music makes the audience feel closer to
Hawaii as well as its culture.
Hula was created with several functions and goals. Hula is used to bring to life
history,
prophecy, genealogy, and the tales of those who came before (The Hawaiian
Islands, 2020). The
modern hula, also known as Hula Auna continues to tell stories of Hawaii but has
shifted and is
now mostly intended for entertainment rather than religious purposes (History of
Hula). There has been an ongoing debate over whether or not Hula is considered
functional music. Looking at
certain pieces and listening and watching the extravagant dances, it can be determined
hula is
primarily a style of entertainment, making Hula not functional. However, Hula can
also be used in a ceremonial sense, which would entail that it is in fact functional.
World Music: A Global Journey by Terry E. Miller and Andrew Shahriari speaks
on this by stating “When music’s use in
certain ritual contexts is considered, questions inevitably arise about the relationship
between
music and trance states” (p. 33). The author of “Hawaiian Music” Cameron Burns
also talks
about how Hawaiian music not only had an impact on Hawaiian culture, but also
improved the
While there continue to be debates about hula’s origin, functionality, and lyrics, it continues to
spark joy for everyone willing to explore their sense of adventure.
Works Cited
Burns, C. Hawaiian Music. 2013, April 30.
https://blogs.longwood.edu/musicintheworld/2013/04/26/hawaiian-music.
History of Hula. 2007. https://www.discover-oahu.com/History-Of-Hula.html.
Hula in the Hawaiian Islands. 2020, January 6. https://www.gohawaii.com/hawaiian-
culture/hula.
Lakainapali, T. 2004. Hula: The Soul of Hawaii. https://www.huna.org/html/hula_th.html.
Miller, T. E., & Shahriari, A. C. 2019. World music concise: a global journey. New York, NY:
Routledge.
The History of Hula. 2005. https://kaimi.org/education/history-of-hula/.
