Friday, April 21, 2006

Monarch Festival Oh YES!

The following was posted on a haiga board I'm a member of by a woman who lives in Hawaii and now I'm homesick. I lived/worked in Hawaii in the late sixties for a year and I still feel it's probably the most beautiful place I've ever lived. I remember disembarking from the plane and looking up at the lava mountains rising into the sky, the scent of fresh blossoms filling the air and I had the feeling that I'd arrived home. I know tourism has overrun Hawaii terribly since those days and that's a shame, but the Hawaiians are making stronger efforts to preserve and honour their old traditions. My friend's post:

It is the week of the merry monarch festival the olympiad of hula many visitors to perform from all over with their roots some how in Hawaii..it is a wonder to see.........tonight will be the competition of Miss Aloha Hula ...from all the all gold medal dancers friday night the old fashion hula Kahiko and saturday the modern.

Hawaiian hula
poetry with the hands


If you'd like a taste of the traditional hula (not the straw skirt dance-on-Wakiki type of dance, Shanna provided the HawaiiNews Channel. This is the video page. I'd recommend starting with the 2005 Kahikos Miss Aloha Hula link. Give it time. When she moves up to the stage and starts dancing with the beat of the gourds, sheer magic! The green leaf lei around her neck is called the meile lie (no longer sure of the spelling), but one worn traditionally by royalty only.

There's an option for dialup or broadband. I have broadband, so don't know how smooth the connection will be for dialup, but give it a try. Well worth it.

Pris, homesick for lava hills and leis around my neck every Friday at work for Aloha Day.

4 comments:

Pat Paulk said...

I've never been, but now I feel homesick too!!

Pris said...

It's wonderful there!

novice.knitter said...

Breathtaking! Thanks for sharing!

Pris said...

I'm still working my way through the vids and links, too. Glad you enjoyed.