Hula Kahiko: Ceremonial Hula Dances | Show Information

Hawaiians had no written language prior to Western contact in the 1800s, so language was spoken and signed. Hula was one of the earliest forms of sign language, and chanting (later, singing) and dancing were used to impart history, traditions and stories down the generations. It originated from traditional sacred rituals and is the essence of life itself. When one dances hula, they are linked with the universe, making them one with all creation. 

There are two forms of hula, the hula kahiko, or the ancient form, and the hula ‘auana, the modern form.

Hula kahiko is performed in traditional costumes and accompanied by mele (chanting) and traditional percussion instruments such as the pahu (shark skin drum) and the ipu heke (drums made from one or two hollowed-out gourds). There is a lead chanter—whose voice is crucial to setting the tone and the emotion of the dance—and sometimes a call-and-response. The earliest forms were usually performed as part of worship in the heiau (temple), under the direction of a kahuna (priest). These were done in conjunction with rituals and ceremonies, paying homage to specific temples or specific deities. Others also honoured the chiefs and ali’i (nobility/royalty), whom the Hawaiians believed to have descended from the gods. 

In this year’s edition of A Tapestry of Sacred Music, experience hula kahiko performed by members of the Halau Nohona Hawai'i, a school for Hawaiian culture founded in 2014, hailing from USA. Together with the ceremonial dances, the group will also present mele (chants) such as the Hānau Ke Ali’i and Hole Waimea, which honours King Kamehameha The Great, as well as He Ma’i Nō Iolani and Ko Ma’i Ulu Hua, which are chants for fertility and prosperity.

Show Details

• Hula Kahiko: Ceremonial Hula Dances
• Date & Time: 29 Apr 2023, Sat, 8pm | 30 Apr 2023, Sun, 7pm | 1 May 2023, Mon, 6.30pm
• Venue: Esplanade Outdoor Theatre (29 & 30 Apr), Esplanade Concourse (1 May)
• Address: 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore 038981

Information Source: Esplanade