The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-04-25
The Hula and tho Dividend
EDITOR BuLLETIN:-

EDITOR BuLLETiN:-
From all accounts il would appear
that the hula dance is the great at.
traction at the Midwinter Fair, and
as a consequence ii is stated that
the shareholders are Just now pocket.
ing a fresh dividend uf fifteen per
cent from the "foul exhibition"
In paper read by the Rev. 5. L.
Bishop before the Honolulu Social
Science Associat ion, y November, lSSS,
entitled, "Why are the Hawaiiaus
Dying Out?" and published in pam.
phlet form, find at page II the Hula
referred to as one OF the "uuclean"
things in the following terms:
"One Of the foul florcscences o!
this great poison tree Of ldolatry is
the hula. This is most intimately
connected with the whole system,
and forms an essential part "f it,
services, just as Sacred Music doe
OF Christian worship. The hula
dances are habitually idolatrous in
practice, having their special patron
gods, whom the dancers invoke anG
worship. The chief posturings and
movements OF the hulas are panto
mines OF unnameable lewdness, illus
trated and varied with elaborat. art.
aud accompanied with chants OF un-
speakable foulness OF diction ami
description. This is the Sacred
Music Of ldolatry, its Opera aud its
Drama. The multitudes OF men,
women and children who throng TO
these royal hula-operas there drink
in the heather ethics OF social life
in unmitigated directness and gross
ness, made sensational with vivid
pantomime OF beastliness, and ON.
bellished with foul wit and jest IL
song, extolling aud dramatizing i'm
purity. Against such schooling, il
must be q powerful civilizing force
that can make head and redeem any
Hawaiian homes from bscoming
brothels.'
The author OF the essay from
which this description OF the hula is
taken has not yet ayailed himself Of
the opportunity Of denouncing the
exhibition OF this dance OF "unnaina-
BILE lewdness" before the American
public. The Rev. S. Z. Bishop has
made himself remarkable for hold
ing the Hawaiian people-who nur-
tured and enabled him to lie down
in "green pastures up TO the
scornful gaze Of the cynical gang or
Pharisees who mainly compose the
Honolulu social science circle. Evi-
IDENTIFY, when q missionary son or
grandson takes bevy Of abandoned
women abroad to dance the hula for
purposes OF gain, there must be q
degree OF merit about the business
which enjoins silent approval, and
the "unclean thing" should not be-
noticed. Apparently, the proper
thing to do is 10 pocket the divi-
dend and thank heaven that the
lives OF the missionary stockholders
of the hula show are fallen in pleas
ant places aud they have, truly, a
"goodly heritage" OF brass and gall,
which will carry them through the
ordeal OF fattening on such dead
sea fruit" as the hula. They eau
also comfort one another with the
assurance that they are not a.
others, even as that miserable, bad
Hawaiian sinner who ladled out that
wicked lemonade with a"stick" IN it,
called punch, at the Feast Of Ma
tions for sweet chariIy's sake. Surely
none of the "unco guild" will touch
that dividend, lest some Of it should
find it's way into the treasury Of
Central Union Church.
The Rev. S. L. Bishop is fair
sample OF his clerical brethren.
They are ever squaring off moral
theories for other people, only to
find, like Dick Deadeye, that every.
thing outside OF their own circle is a
"bit triangular" and consequently
If anything goes wrong or a weighty
disaster comes down on the nation,
it must be Judgment sent along by
Providence because Kalakaua had a
mild hula dance at his coronation,
and il so dcmoralized the natives
that they do not pay the same res,
pect ss formerly to the Rev. 5. +.
Bishop when he walls and wobbles
aud founders about the way Israel
want nm m. annut .nIu. I'm Vuar.