Every act of aloha counts. Click here to DONATE to the MAUI RELIEF Fund.

Discover the Wonders of Hula

Food, Fun & After DarkOahu

In its authentic form, HULA is the most powerful expression of indigenous Hawaiian culture that exists. The chants that give meaning to the dance and music are, in essence, the oral history of Hawai‘i’s native people.

Passed down from one kumu hula (hula teacher) to another, the stories have survived Western contact, early missionary censure, U.S. takeover and statehood. King David Kalākaua, who came to the throne in 1874, is credited with reviving hula after it had been declared illegal at the insistence of Christian missionaries. But it was not until nearly a century later that hula, in all its forms, exploded in the islands. MERRIE MONARCH FESTIVAL, a sort of hula Olympics named in honor of King Kalākaua, was established on Hawai‘i Island in 1963.

101 Things To Do Digital Magazine

Get a FREE 101 Things To Do digital magazine

when you sign up for the 101 Things To Do email newsletter!

Upcoming Events