Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula

By Nathaniel Bright Emerson and Nathaniel B. Emerson

Book Overview

Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula (1909) is a collection of hulas and essays by Nathaniel B. Emerson. Translating previously unwritten songs, interviewing native Hawaiians, and consulting the works of indigenous historians, Emerson provides an entertaining and authoritative look at one of Hawaii's most cherished traditions. "For an account of the first hula we may look to the story of Pele. On one occasion that goddess begged her sisters to dance and sing before her, but they all excused themselves, saying they did not know the art. At that moment in came little Hiiaka, the youngest and the favorite. ...] When banteringly invited to dance, to the surprise of all, Hiiaka modestly complied. The wave-beaten sand-beach was her floor, the open air her hall; Feet and hands and swaying form kept time to her improvisation." As an American born in Hawaii who played a major role in the annexation of the islands as an author of the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Emerson likely saw himself as a unifying figure capable of interpreting for an English-speaking audience the ancient and sacred tradition of the hula, a Polynesian dance often accompanied with instruments and chanting or singing. Combining critical analysis with samples of popular hulas in both Hawaiian and English, Emerson works to preserve part of the rich cultural heritage of the Hawaiian Islands.

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 151329590X
• ISBN13: 9781513295909
• Release Date: August 2021
• Publisher: Mint Editions
• Length: 340 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Hula Essential

This is an amazing history written as it was about to be lost forever, (Due to the shortsightedness of the missionaries to recognise the chants as the essence of the Hawai'ian people), at the turn of the century. Thanks to the insight of this son of a missionary in chronicling what he was able to find himself privy to, this vital information will live on. For anyone who is now or in the future involved in hula, this is an incredible resource of knowledge of the Hawai'ian chants, legend, and the essence of the beautiful Hawai'ian people. Another valuable resource is: Myths and Legends of Hawaii also written around the turn of the century and is also a first hand account of history.