Legacy of Hula Volume 1: Kalākaua, and: Legacy of Hula Volume 2: Kapi'olani (review)

Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai, the Kumu Hula (Hula Teacher) Association of Southern California, and Dr. Amy Ku'uleialoha Stillman's two CDs focus on nineteenth-century Hawaiian chant inspired by and composed during the reign of King David Kalākaua and Queen Kapi'olani, 1874-91. Featuring some of the most respected hula teachers and schools in the continental United States, the CDs present mele hula (hula chants) performed by a wide range of hula practitioners. Legacy of Hula Volume 1 focuses on fifteen chants written for King David Kalākaua's Birthday Jubilee in 1886, while Legacy of Hula Volume 2 centers on three sets of chants commemorating a variety of events in the life of his queen, Kapi'olani. The CDs are based on recordings of two different collaborative performances staged by Kūlia i ka Pūnāwai in 2004 and 2006, reflecting not only Southern California's significant Native Hawaiian population but also its vibrant hula community.

The liner notes accompanying the first CD explain, succinctly, the practice of composing mele in sets, the significance of the Hawaiian cultural renaissance that occurred during King Kalākaua's time in power, and the importance of Hawaiian-language newspapers in chronicling the renaissance through the publication of new mele texts. Indeed, one of the richest repositories of mele compositions is to be found in nineteenth-century newspapers that were published by Native Hawaiians for a widely literate indigenous population. Because hula is a word-driven dance form, the propagation of mele texts through this medium also reflects the resurgence of hula after years of missionary-led suppression. Additionally, the liner notes of Legacy of Hula Volume 1 provide some insight into contemporary hula-staging practices and affirm the connection that Native Hawaiians maintain with indigenous systems of knowledge regardless of location or generation. The chants themselves showcase the intricate and tremendously profound poetry used in Hawaiian mele and exemplify the kinds of imagery and metaphorical language that are prevalent in honorific chants. The selections are performed with genuineness and clarity, and they are, as a collection, unique in their focus.

Legacy of Hula Volume 2 is a carefully researched compilation of chant sets that are introduced on the recording in both English and Hawaiian. The selected mele showcase the depth and range of Hawaiian textual expression and reveal the incredible reverence Hawaiians hold for their ali'i (chiefs). In addition to celebrating many facets of Kapi'olani's life, this volume is important in its privileging of Hawaiian female voices as composers of chant in the Kingdom of Hawai'i. The first set, "He Lei No Ka Mō'ī Kapi'olani," was composed by Queen Kapi'olani's female court members and is believed to be thematically linked to a prized necklace worn by the queen. "He Inoa Nu'a Hulu No Ka Mō'Ī Wahine Kapi'olani," the second set, describes a visit by the queen to the plantation of a friend in Waimanalo, O'ahu, and the final set, "He Inoa No Laulani Koki," remembers the queen's 1889 trip to Kaua'i Island. The performances are straightforward and uncomplicated, making the recording accessible to those unfamiliar with Hawaiian chant.

Informative and well researched, these CDs are solid introductions to Hawaiian musical aesthetics, poetry, and cultural values specifically pertaining to ali'i (chiefs). Both CDs contain great examples of accurate and thoughtful Hawaiian chanting, and the liner notes include not only the original Hawaiian texts but also English translations for each mele. Hawaiian poetry is immensely complex by virtue of its sonic manipulation and symbolic density, and the translations serve as a wonderful introduction to Hawaiian poetics for those unfamiliar with the...