Before first contact with Westerners in 1778, Hawaiians didn’t need written language. They had hula. This ancient form of dances, songs and chants was passed down from generation to generation to ...

Hula instructor Akiko Colton spends her day living and breathing the ancient Hawaiian dance known as hula in her Eugene studio. “It’s part of my life, so I cannot just take it out. My blood needs hula ...

For Native Hawaiians, the origins of hula are deeply spiritual and rooted in Hawaii’s creation stories and the history and culture of their kūpuna or ancestors. Many sacred dances have been passed ...

The hula is a spiritual and graceful dance. Its motions and chants convey the rich heritage and legends of Hawaii. Undulating arms and hands tell a story in a sign language all its own. The body ...

When someone mentions “Hawaii,” several images might come to mind: white, sandy beaches, sweet-smelling tropical flowers, whole roasted pigs and, of course, hula. But even today, there are those who ...