The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-04-21
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, APRIL 81


these islands lay shrouded in the deepest gloom
of paganism, licentiousness ruled with undisputed
sway-not a dream arising in the minds of her
universal ~votaries that any other law than the
law of passion and lust should control human
minds. Among these ancient customs was the
hula dance. 1t was not simply dancing as known
among foreigners, but was a show, a grand theat-
rical and musical entertainment. The fairest
girls were selected and trained, and in their wild,
denuded state, with only such clothing and orna-
ments as custom allowed, appeared before the
spectators. Around the dancing mats, headed by
the teacher, sat. cross legged, a row of ten or
twelve drummers, each with his hula calabash.
The dance consisted of gestures and posturings in
d~icative of licentiousa cts, accompanied with music
and often with the most vulgar and unchaste songs
which the tongue is capable of uttejng. In
these songs, from which the refined and chaste
turn with disgust, consisted the chief attractive
ness of the hula.
Not only are they demoralizing in their ten
dency to excite in the spectators the vilest licen-
tious emotions, but they have another equally de-
basing influence, in creating incidence. This eff
feet is witnessed now in Koolau, which is the head
quarters of the hulas at present. 1t is seen every
where that the hula prevails; and, SO far as it
operates on the rising generation, this practice has
a ruinous influence. 1t is for these reasons that We
have not hesitated to condemn and expose the eff
forts which have been made to revive these dis
gushing shows. The evil results arising from them
may not be fully developed for years, but the
future will show that the advancement of the ma
tive race had been checked in a great measure by
this mistaken policy.
rnr,o ,oaak.p. nf <hn oo Vic
sionaries at Honolulu, in May last, they addressed
a respectful memorial to the King in Council,
praying that some measure might be adopted to
put a check upon this evil, upon the growing ma
ture of which they eloquently expatiated. The
memorial was, by the Council, referred to the
Judges of the Supreme Court, with how much
p~ropriety we cannot say, but we havenever heard
that they acted upon it.
To the Polynesidn newspaper is due all the
credit of having been the only public advocate of
these sensual and heathenish dances, character
lied by it as g innocent and harmless amuse-
ments," admirably adapted to develope the phys
ical constitution of the native females. With all
its might and main it has advocated them, and
sought to justify their introduction.
But we rejoice that there is here, as elsewhere, a
public opinion, which, though tardy in its move
ments, is yet sure in its effects. Public opinion
10 unquootionably opposed to allowing the intro
duction of the hulas, and though the Ministers
have succeeded in forcing through the Lower
House, after great opposition, the law allowing
hulas to be licensed in Honolulu, they have been
compelled to recede from the demand first made
of allowing them on other islands.
Those who care for the preservation and i'm
provement of the native race, will he glad to learn
that His Majesty has come ont and spoken boldly
on this subject, in his address before the native
Agricultural Society, to which we alluded last
week in an item. From the report prepared
for the Haze, we are permitted by the courtesy of
its editor, to translate His Majesty's remarks.
His Majesty on rising, remarked that he felt greatly
dissatisfied with the existing state of things on Oahu
among his native sutjects-the nci, or scarcity of food.
1t was n thing to be ashamed of. and he, as the Chief
Magistrate, was ashamed to be compelled to confess
the fact. He would give his opinion, in n few words,
as to what were the causes of the scarcity
The great number of horses. The horse was a no
bic animal, when properly bred and trained, but the
fault here was that we raised immense numbers of
miserable horses-for what. Not to work with, but
to play with, to ride for pleasure. There was nothing
our young people we're so fond of, or which they were
more constantly at, than securing the country over,
vaquero fashion, without any other object than lea
La-(pleasure). Hence the cultivation Of the ground
was abandoned by our young men, who pre- to fill the
places of those passing away. but who will grow up
ignorant of agriculture as practiced so successfully
by their fathers.
Another cause was the huias. The hula, if per-
formed after the ancient style, with a proper regard
for propriety, would be objected to by no one; but
the hula as practiced now, was objected to by every
one. This was another shameful cause Of the Idle
ness and unproductiveness of the people, resulting
inevitably in n scarcity of the common necessaries of
life. Men and women, the whole populace, even
down to the little child, were all attracted, day after
day, to the hula. Who shall till the ground I? A
famine must result.
A third cause of the scarcity on Oahu His Majesty
attributed to the increasing idleness of the people,
and pointed, as encouraging examples Of a contrary
state of things, to the wheat growing districts of Kau
and Makawao.
The speech is clear, dignifed and worthy of the
source from which it emanates. 1t is creditable
in the Sovereign to step forward and raise his
voice against the curse which threatens to sweep
off the small remnant that remains of his people.
All will give him credit for the sincerity of his
words, and believe that they are spoken only
from an earnest desire to see his people shake off
the habits of Incidence and vice which now fester
their improvement. We only wish that his
benevolent expressions were seconded by Ministers
whose love for the welfare of the needless natives,
outweighed their anxiety to fill the public Golfers
at the expense of virtue and industry.
The subject of hulas has bee- before the Legis-
lature during its present session, and evoked much
discussion in the Lower House, which passed q
bill declaring them q nuisance. This bill the
Ministers defeated in the Upper House. A sec
ton was then introduced into the Code to allow,
we believe, the licensing of them all over the
islands. This met warm opposition, until at last
a small majority of the Lower House yielded, as
a compromise, in allowing the licensing of them
in Honolulu only. on payment of $1O-for each
performance. Thus the law now stands and will
probably go into force.
So far from the hula having Sc received it's death
blow by being made the subject of legislation