Message #31864

[Bianca]

Hula ʻauana
 
 
Dancer (Hula ʻauana), Merrie Monarch FestivalModern hula arose from adaptation of traditional hula ideas (dance and mele) to Western influences. The primary influences were Christian morality and melodic harmony. Hula ʻauana still tells or comments on a story, but the stories may include events since the 1800s. The costumes of the women dancers are less revealing and the music is heavily Western-influenced.






Songs



The mele of hula ʻauana are generally sung as if they were popular music. A lead voice sings in a major scale, with occasional harmony parts.

The subject of the songs is as broad as the range of human experience. People write mele hula ʻauana to comment on significant people, places or events or simply to express an emotion or idea. The hula then interprets the mele.






Instruments




The musicians performing hula ʻauana will typically use portable acoustic stringed instruments.


ʻUkulele — four-, six- or eight-stringed, used to maintain the rhythm if there are no other instruments

Guitar — used as part of the rhythm section, or as a lead instrument

Steel guitar — accents the vocalist

Bass — maintains the rhythm

Occasional hula ʻauana call for the dancers to use implements, in which case they will use the same instruments as for hula kahiko.