The art of hula arrived in Hawaii with the Polynesian voyagers that inhabited the Hawaiian Islands about 2,500 years ago. Recognized for its graceful movements, hula is an expressive, interpretive dance form telling a story with each motion. Legend tells that Hiiaka danced to please her sister, Pele, the goddess of the volcano and thus the hula was born. Arriving in the late 1700s the Christian missionaries viewed the hula as a heathen practice and it was banned.
King David Kalakaua is credited with the rebirth of this traditional art form when, in the late 19th century, he encouraged hula practitioners to resume the custom. The hula became glamorized in the 1930s and '40s and the Polynesian luau dance evolved from its sacred beginnings to the more seductive adaptation portrayed by Hollywood. The ancient form, kahiko, continued to be practiced by traditionalists. Today, hula has two distinct forms: hula kahiko, the ancient form relying on chant, drumming and other traditional instruments for accompaniment, and the hula auana, a more contemporary style choreographed to song rather than chant.
Whether it is danced to the rhythmic beat of the pahu (drum), the rich tones of the chant or the strumming of the ukulele, the beauty of the hula is at the heart of Hawaii.