European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                 i on the it land of Oahu of nmn to it  Hul known John Topo tenth to Taw it Inuffiw-tmdmwm0ff who Ort fun to Imea a Nelma Fiul. Oman few tour of Jwj perform a modern halt honouring . It Etc by Stewart Taggart associated press he dancers Sway to he rhythm of banging Slicks and a Chan Hal tells the Story of a King who ruled he islands of Hawaii a Century ago the Merrie Monarch who gave now life to the Hula. Performing beneath a Green Banyan Iree the troupe celebrates the life of King David Kalakaua. Who is widely credited Wilh reviving the sensuous dance irom puritanical oblivion in the late 19lh Century. We owe a lot to him for shia Art form says Hula instructor John Topolinski a Parl hawaiian who trained the group. He said. This is our dance a hawaiian dance " the performance was part of a re icel Altemos along Hula exhibition at the Lolani Palace in Honolulu where hawaiian Royalty lived Belore the islands were annexed to he United slates. Once banned by Cal Himsl missionaries later exploited and often distorted the Hula has endured in Many forms ranging from Tho Sublime to the trivial. For centuries a Means of passing along historical mythic of and genealogical information in a Cut lure with no written language Early chants loaf of a god filled firmament and epic tales As Complex As those of classical Rome and Greece. Later hulas especially those during Kalakaua s time incorporated new styles and instruments brought to Hawaii by Waves of immigrants in this Century the Hula was seen through Hollywood s eyes As the dance of a Sybaris in Paradise. Trie Hula is believed id have arrived in Hawaii along with its first immigrants who travelled there aboard outrigger canoes from the South Pacific about 600 a d in the decades following the arrival in t778 of Cape. James Cook the English explorer hawaiians became increasingly involved in Commerce Wilh the West particularly in the growing sandalwood made interest m the Hula waned. When the hawaiian King Kamehameha i died in 1819, he was succeeded by his favorite Wile a Ahuimanu who ruled along Wilh Kamehameha s son Limo Limo the two came under the influence of missionaries who considered the swaying dance indecent a Ahuimanu later converted to christianity and outlawed the lewd and lascivious Hula " practitioners went underground. After a Ahuimanu died in 1832. Bans against the Hula were rescinded and the dance was performed for important government occasions. Sailors slopping in Honolulu and Lahaina on Maui eagerly paid women to dance for them. In 1851, missionaries again got the upper hand persuading the hawaiian government to License and restrict Hula performances. But when Kalakaua became King in 1874. He revived an interest in the Huff. From his family history he published what is perhaps the genre s most fascinating genealogical chant the Cumuli to. Or song of  to invited masters of Hula to his court and at his 5qlh birthday Celebration in 1886 a Hula Jubilee was held on the grounds of Lolani Palace Kalakaua also introduced the ukulele As a Hula accompaniment marking a break with tradition. By the time Kalakaua died in 1b91, the Hula had enjoyed a major revival Kalakaua was succeeded by his sister Queen Liliuokalani who was overthrown in 1893 and the islands were soon annexed to the United Stales. In ensuing decades the Hula became a popular entertainment or Tours is. Simple English lyrics began to replace hawaiian chants and the visual nature of the dance was emphasized More and More. After Hawaii became a slate in 1959. Hawaiians who had Long struggled to assimilate quietly into mainstream America began to take More Pride in their own culture and a hawaiian Renaissance was born. As part of that Renaissance Hula Halaus or schools sprang up around Hawaii. Many Halaus emphasize the importance of knowing the hawaiian language. Others sir lbs hulas dedicated to a particular hawaiian deity. Some focus on either the ancient or modern Hula while others work to incorporate elements of jazz and modern dance. Topolin Jcj considers himself an Ultra traditionalist to leaches almost exclusively thu ancient Hula in which accompaniment is limited to chanting and percussion. Still he has made concessions to Chango. One chant is called the Kaliko in which couples dressed in Western missionary All ire dance slowly together much Tike a Walz another dance gets to the heart of Early controversy Hal nearly doomed he Hula called homa i halal the dance chronicles Royal perpetuation through procreation sub Lely glorifying lovemaking among the hawaiian royally. It is not lewd but the missionaries saw it that Way says Topolinski. The words to it Are like Tho Eulica song of  As the eldest son of his family Topolinski says dynastic chants were passed on to him giving him the responsibility to pass them Down to later generations. One of Hern was composed by his family for performance at Kalakaua s 50th birthday parly in 1886. One of the other troupes that performed Al the recent Lolani Palace Hula festival was under the direction of Waikiki in Lerlaine Robert Cazimero who Ines to infuse elements of modern Lile into the ancient traditions movements and expressions of the Hula i be always considered myself a contemporary teacher Cantero says we Are a part of solely today and if the ancient hawaiians were hero they would use what is Al their fingertips the sound of Frallic. Inc sound of pile Drivers and things like the anger of not gel Ling a  taking yet another approach is Hula teacher Pualani Kanahele. Who runs a Hula Palau on Hawaii stand Homo of Mauna Kea Volcano As Well As the Active volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kilauea. She says her troupe is mostly devoted to the chants and dances of Madame Pele the mercurial ancient hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes. Early hawaiian chants Tell of Pele travelling from Island to Island finally coming to rest in the molten lire it of Kilauea. Tote emphasis of Lite Palau is or Pele and the All Bules of Polo because this is inc deity that is still very much alive Kanahele say she is Ghoul inc Only hawaiian deity still being worshipped today " she lakes members of her Palau to the Volcano area of Iho Island each year prior to compe Linro in to annual Merrie Monarch festival in Hilo the so called olympics of Hula where Halaus compote against each of we the festival later televised statewide is considered Hawaii s Premier Hula event. Smaller Hula  Ore hold throughout Hawaii All year Long Cali Micro says the Broad Range of Hula styles in clips to  it whether you love it or Hale it you have to  Tharl is part of inc history Cali memo says each in their own Way. They Are keeping Iho culture the love. The Aloha  the stars and stripes Page 15