Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-11-12
THE HULA.

The perpetuation Of the hula and its recent
revival in the worst form is one Of the living |
reminders Of ancient Hawaiian pagansm. 1t
had its origin in the dark ages of the past
whel the race was swimming in sea Of ig-
norance, superstition and liccntiousnoss when
rulers and ruled alike were stepped in vice /;
when chastity and right were unknown as
virtues.
1t has been the practice in all times and
among all peoples to perpetuate national GUS
toms and celebrate noted events in song and
dance. The ancient Hawaiians evidently did
not possess the power of discriminating be-
tween what was morally right and wrong, and
unfortunately preserved most carefully in their
meles and huias, as legacy to their de-
scendants, that which portrays the bascst of
human passions. The hula Of to-day, modified
somewhat from the ancient form, shows what
must have been the condition of the people.
The greatest care was taken in having the
huio perfect. Tho finest formed and most beau
tiful girls were selected aud carefully trained
and in a half dcnudcd state such as custom
allowed and demanded, appeared before large
audiences of all ages, under the patronage Of
the chiefs, and with gestures and postutings
indicative of icentious acts, accompanied by
unchaste songs, could only encourage the un-
bridlcd immortality of the time, when no law
was known but tho wM. 1t is unfortunate that
| the hula has survived while other customs
which should have been preserved are
forgotten.
Twenty years ago the hula prevailed to q
great extent, tho headquarters of which at
that time were in Koolau. The p. G. A-
rertiser of January Is, 1857, in alluding to
the demoralizng effect. Of this dance said: can
indignant public will not sit quietly by and
see their constitutional rights invaded and
tramplcd under foot" Kamelamcha Nv. re-
cognized the evil in his address before the Ha =
waiian Agricultural Society in 1859, though
an attempt was made at the same time to IL
cense them throughout the Kingdom.
We regret that the Eieie of last Wednesday
encourages the hula, and views the criticisms
of the Press and Kuokoa and the sermon de-
livered in Fort Street Church last Sunday
evening, with an unfriendly eye. We can not
agree with the Ehte that call dances are
equally good. !" Where the hula prevails its
ruinous influence cannot but be felt; dlcncss
dissipation, immortality and accompanying evil,
will be found with it. The statement made b.,
our contemporary that "it is proper for th'
pure minded and evil for the impure" is argu
ment enough to cause its discontnuance.
cxcites only the viest emotions in the spocta
tor and will soon make the purest impure.
The fact that "old habiliments and customs y
are kept alive in other countries which til,
; King has recently visited is no plea for tn
, huta. We are in favor of the revival of oil,
Hawaiian customs and games, but would favo
something more crcdtable to the race thai
this barbarous dance.
No one can in his heart deny that the hnl
can be productive Of anything but evil, and al
know that public exhibition of it would no
be tolerated in any country calling itself civil
lied. The manner and habits of those i
authority are always studied and copied b
the masses, and where the hula is fostered b
royal patronage, what can we expect of tn
Q people? We question the propriety also
giving public exhibitions of this sort for tn
u entertainment of official or other visitors VIII
: come to our shores. After witnessing tn
diabolical perfection of tho hula no foreigne
" could take away with him very high opino
n of the morals of tho native race, and conl
It scarcely credit that Christianity is anon
u them more than n sham