Serious students study more than dance movements, for the hula embraces all aspects of Hawaiian life. The most important element in Hawaiian music and dance is poetry. The sentiments expressed in song texts range from love and awareness of the land, to honor and respect for the Hawaiian gods and chiefs of bygone days. Training in the hula often begins with the study of song texts, often a difficult task. The term kumu means source, an appropriate title for the master who is a source of knowledge and understanding into the deep feelings expressed in hula.
Students learn many different types of dances in standing and sitting positions.
They must also learn to use various musical instruments. One of the most commonly used is the ipu heke made of two gourds joined at the necks. It is played by thumping it on a mat, then slapping it with the fingers of the right hand. The feathers are dyed in bright colors and blended in gay combinations. In older dances, each dancer used only one, and produces a sound by striking it against the left hand, both shoulders, and the ground.