Indigenous Leadership Through Hula

One of my lifelong dreams has been to learn hula. In Fall 2017, I took Dr. Taupōuri Tangarō's class at UH Hilo, HWST 194-Indigenous Leadership Through Hula. I gained a new appreciation for the admissions process, but that's a side story! The class itself was enlightening and a joy to attend twice a week from 5:30-6:45. It joined two subjects that I'm passionate about: indigenous leadership + hula.

I discovered many things, one of which is that I'm not as fit and flexible as I thought I was. Hula is a real workout! I'm also, apparently, not as coordinated as I'd like to be. Still, the class was appropriate for beginners, and I learned some basic steps, oli (chants), and mele (songs) and had a fun time getting to know my classmates who ranged in age from teenagers to kupuna. Some were experienced dancers, and others, like me, were new to dancing hula.

Translating a chant

On the first night of class, there were no less than 80 participants! Over time the class thinned out to a core of about 40 students. It began to feel like a big family, everyone willing to help one another. One of the best parts of the class was hearing students' thoughts and appreciating the unique perspectives they brought to the learning experience. We learned a number of Hawaiian mele for which we were provided translations.

Mapping my thoughts and idea

Our task was to delve within to determine how each mele's message applied to our own lives, specifically to ourselves as indigenous leaders. We focused on enduring principles that are traditionally taught through poetic compositions from long ago. Practicing hula to these mele was a meditation on each message and its meaning and brought us closer to the authors and the generations of ancestors who spoke these words before us.

In addition to the young people taking the class with me, there were a number of recent graduates, tuta, who were practicing their leadership skills by showing us how the dances were done, gently correcting us, teaching us in small groups, and evaluating our performances. They were inspiring, graceful examples to us. I will never again under appreciate the work and skill that goes into performing a beautiful hula.

I was even considering taking the course again in the fall, but I was honored to be invited to join the Kuku'ena hula group of Hawai'i Community College in the fall. Trina Nahm-Mijo will be my mentor. I'm looking forward to taking an even deeper dive into hula and personal growth!