Hula: Preserving Native Hawaiian Language and Culture

UNUKUPUKUPU is the name of the rigorous hula curricula of Dr. Taupōuri Tangarō at Hawai'i Community College, University of Hawai'i System.
Dr. Tangarō describes the crucial role the Native Hawaiian language has played throughout the history of hula.
UNUKUPUKUPU is a descendant of the centuries old 'Aiha'a (Sacred Dance) traditions of Hālau O Kekuhi, Hilo, Hawai'i.
Dr. Tangarō was a participant in the 2012 Campus and Community Festival program. This video was produced as part of the Hawai'i participation in the upcoming 2013 Folklife Festival program One World, Many Voices: Endangered Languages and Cultural Heritage. Stay tuned for more previews of this program.
[Catalog No. CFV10493A; Copyright 2013 Smithsonian Institution]

[@ikaikaxkeahi]

God bless us Hawaiians!!!

[@davervmirxz4878]

0:58 you hear how he used a "V" instead of a "W" and how he took a small pause before saying the last "i"? That's the original way my ancestors wrote and pronounced my motherland of Havai'i.

[@MsAthina101]

I went to Hawaii two years ago with my mother and my brother, and before I go to a foreign place I like looking at the history of where ever I am going to. Little did I know it was a stolen paradise before I actually read up on it. We went to a luau and although my mother went there for entertainment, I was watching the movements and even though the main person explained what the dance and chants were about, I was so intrigued at what the lyrics would sound like. I have so much respect for the people of Hawaii.

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

Hawaii is not a "foreign place." It's one of our states. It's a part of the United States of America.

[@Great_Lake_Surfer]

@@michaelpalmieri7335 maybe legally, but Hawaii does NOT belong to America. The hawaiins, samoans, polynesians, etc. own it. We caused so much pain, anger and suffering by taking their land. People are homeless living on beaches.

[@kanaboke74]

@@michaelpalmieri7335 ~ Athina may not be from the United States of America.

[@gregcarter8656]

@@michaelpalmieri7335 A foreign place is any place that's not a familiar place. If you spent your whole life on the windward side, then the leeward side is a foreign place. If you spent your life on Maui, then Kauai is a foreign place. If you've never been to Hilo, then it's a foreign place to you. And as Ardis Weight pointed out, you presumed that Athina Fiskas is an American. Hawaii is a foreign place to anyone who's never been here.

[@sandramorey2529]

Hawaii was taken over and the queen displaced and imprisoned in Iolani Palace for 9 months. It was achieved by the Hawaiian "Congress" made up of white missionaries and Plantation owners who were in the Hawaiian government. They were traitors. Hawaii is an occupied country even though a lot of folks think it is a part of the US.There are legal battles going on to this day. Protecting sacred sites like Mauna Kea is where the struggle can be viewed close up.

[@hakalau59]

we are Hawaiian...Hawaiian we are....we are one who show the love of our ohana...we know what we need to do to keep our values of the past to the present and future...I am one that learn and teach, learn of my culture of the past and teach to the future so it keeps on.....Mahalo no....malama no....

[@gogidylog3095]

Native Hawaiians are descended from a group of Asians known as the Austronesians, all Polynesian and Micronesian people as are many people in Melanesia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, to as far as Madagascar. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesia... But the reason why many Native Hawaiians look Asian is because of Hawaii's sugar industry. During the 1800s Hawaii began producing and distributing sugar, but to keep up with demand, the sugar industry needed to look for workers beyond Hawaii. A very large portion of these workers came from Japan, China, the Philippines, and Korea and many of those people settled down in Hawaii. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_plant... When a person identifies himself or herself as "Native Hawaiian", it does not mean the he or she is full-blooded Hawaiian, but rather that he or she has at least some Hawaiian blood, but more importantly identifies with the Native Hawaiian culture and with his or her Ancient Hawaiian ancestors. It is actually quite rare to see a full-blooded Hawaiian.

[@IslenoGutierrez]

I wouldn’t call it rare to see full blooded Hawaiians, just less common across all islands. There are still some left. There are some on all the islands but in small number. There is also an entire island of full-blooded native Hawaiians called Ni’ihau, but their population is small in number. Also, there is a Ni’ihau community of full-blooded native Hawaiians on the leeward side of Kaua’i. Full blooded Hawaiians are not rare in Hawai’i, just smaller in number than Asians or whites so they may seem rare because they are a lot less than the general population but they are not rare.

[@sebastianedgar-jb7vt]

I believe a full blooded Hawaiian will most certainly resemble a Maori. I don't think the slanted eyes and pale skinned are full blooded Hawaiian natives

[@delfinae]

Thanks to all that kept this art and langueage aliva, so it can reach to us in this time, long live to Hula, and to all native cultures, thank you from my heart! Love and blessings from Argentina!

[@innerdinosaur5667]

Aloha The Hawaiian language should be used in schools as a first language which is the case in Wales in the uk good luck and god bless peace 🦖

[@IslenoGutierrez]

Yes but wales is mostly welsh. Hawai’i is mostly not Hawaiian. So it would mostly be non-Hawaiians speaking Hawaiian if they did that. What’s the point at that point?

[@tagaloa2798]

God bless the kanaka maoli and all of Polynesia. Thank you for the aloha you share with the rest of the world. We all know they all need it. A lil bit can go along way. Pasifika stand up.

[@luciana1644]

I love the explanation! Love the language and the Hula dance!

[@ArwedGroenLiveAloha]

Aloha 🌺 from northern Germany. Mahalo nui loa for this amazing report and video - telling the story of the HULA . Me ke Aloha 🙏😍

[@muchness]

Kumu, I only wish you had a class in Kona. So wonderful!

[@beenannon]

Thank you this was incredibly informative!

[@WelfareChrist]

The dancing and chanting starting at 4:10 are totally punk rock. That woman chanting is absolutely amazing, and the dancer is awesome too.

[@hitirere._.9512]

The most beautiful culture in the world , for me

[@rachelcantohos4012]

When I was keikei,We learned Hawaiian ana. They should bring it back.We must take care our keikei's,learn our culture & language. I always go on U Tube. To learn the Hawaiian language & its culture. I don't want my grandkids not knowing their heritage.

[@martin5940]

Amazing! Every were in the world every country the same story. People are all a like!

[@rachelcantohos4012]

MAHALO KE AKUA,WE ARE SO BLESS.HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BLESS DAY! ALOHA MAI KAOU!

[@johnwatterson8085]

As from Scotland in the UK 🇬🇧 I have the national flag of the island and proud to own it and I love brother IZ his music is fantastic.

[@IslenoGutierrez]

My favorite song from braddah Iz is Hawai’i ‘78. Do you know it?

[@presleygriffin5525]

Thank you for sharing

[@dragohuentemilla9106]

Thanks for this video

[@tamaputra4932]

proud to be Austronesian💚🌴

[@DanceApp]

Thank you for sharing this! I wonder if there is a possibility of getting the captions corrected for accessibility? I would love to show it to my dance appreciation class, but can't use it without accurate captions!

[@SmithsonianFolklife]

Thanks for the nudge and including this video in your class! The captioning has been proofed and updated.

[@emiliobello2538]

I would love to go to Hawaii

[@LaCritiqueRouge]

YAY! Happy ending for once.

[@chenashlynx7477]

❤️

[@kimcarroll1129]

We live in Hawaii. And I’m about as white as you can get. It’s incredibly important we keep the language and hula alive. I’m learning myself because that’s the language of our state. It’s a beautiful language and way of life. Nowhere else on earth do you experience the Aloha we have here

[@wheepingwillow24u17]

TRUE WITH THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF AMERICA TOO!

[@ilumalucwile2422]

No sound on the left.

[@stevenshaneyfelt]

my right ear enjoyed this video

[@Indiabarbie12]

Row what beautiful people and culture.what are Hawaiians really.they look like some of my family members who are native American indians. Yes Hawaiians look mixed,native Americans, Filipino, blasians and Spanish. What race are they.but what beautiful dancing and dressing.

[@kpaukeaho6180]

Hawaiians are a Polynesian people, related closely to peoples like Tahitians, Maori, Samoans, and Tongans, and more broadly to the Austronesian and Melanesian peoples spread across the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

[@ambermcbride3577]

Interesting

[@maureentuohy9423]

My father lived under the English occupation of Ireland in the 1910’s and it was illegal to teach Gaelic to the children. He came to America in the 20’s and never learned the language. He regretted it all his life.

[@infinite5795]

You should learn it and surprise him Maureen. Let your father be proud of his origins, by having a daughter continue to cherish his heritage.

[@xEseXicano]

A lot of them are mixed

[@fionaokeefe1906]

Dudeluv212 yeah so true dude

[@ganevalima4355]

Your right

[@sandramorey2529]

We're all mixed. Plus before the overthrow there were many non Hawaiian people who became citizens of the Hawaiian kingdom. They were considered full citizens.

[@josemireles3782]

The word Eskimo as a European concept they are called Inuits

[@squeeky805]

Lets get it straight people! Hawaiians are Polynesians! But more specifically Lahui Kanaka!

[@IslenoGutierrez]

Kanaka Maoli 🤙🏽🤙🏾

[@blue---monday]

Sorry the native tribes in the US are not only navajos.. But i only mentioned them, sorry for that one

[@mormonjesus9139]

1:32 cotton eye joe

[@thechaosifier]

Hawaiian is not a lost language. Native Hawaiians are native Hawaiians. Native Americans are native Americans. Of course we are not the same. Different culture, different continent, different lifestyle, different blood.

[@giannemarisanvicente4332]

Hawaiians have lost the privilege to use THEIR OWN LANGUAGE and do their SACRED TRADITIONS by americans and for what. They have already invaded their island and claimed it as their own ILLEGALLY and bow they have the audacity to tell them their not allowed to speak their own language and do their own traditions anymore.

[@josemireles3782]

Are there any full-blooded Hawaiians around

[@andrereyhan2288]

kupukupu ( indonesian ) is buterfly

[@Indiabarbie12]

Even some of the women with super long black/brown hair,body and facial features and Asian like eyes. looks like my native American Indian grandmother in my avatar. They look to much like native Indians to me.again what race of people are they I never knew I always thought they were such beautiful people.

[@Analiketika411]

why is there no sound

[@SmithsonianFolklife]

Check your levels. The sound works fine for us.

[@Analiketika411]

SmithsonianFolklife I did. The volume was on full. The sound only appeared in certain sections of the video.

[@possiblycrazy442]

Analiketika411 Check your speakers themselves. The sound seems to be balanced to the right. You might have a faulty right speaker.

[@Analiketika411]

Sketchy Haha yeah, you're right. I got new speakers a few months ago and I used them right now to rewatch this. Sound works! :)

[@possiblycrazy442]

Haha! Awesome!

[@haaaaa4173]

Jarai ancestors

[@rajahaji4868]

hawaii is malayo-polynesian

[@lol4loc4]

No way, you are wrong, Hawaiian are Polynesians, nothing from your stupid Mayo

[@Emsyaz]

@@lol4loc4 Hawaiian are ancient Malays who sailed to the Pacific Islands. The Hawaiian women in vintage photos look like Malay women from Malaysia,Indonesia

[@Emsyaz]

@@The.Hawaiian.Kingdom The theory is backed by DNA, cultural and language similarities. In other words its a fact.

[@gregcarter8656]

@@The.Hawaiian.Kingdom You obviously don't know beans about comparative linguistics. As for DNA, all humans are ultimately related, when you go back far enough. Do you think "There is NO dna proof" of that? What is your status as an expert on DNA? Or an expert on Linguistics? As for "ACTUAL proof", courts use 3 different standards of "proof" not one of which is 100% proof. The Austronesian language family has been known since 1706.

[@YouTubeBrah]

Hawaiians

[@brucecollis8609]

Love the Hawaiian culture, it's a shame how the US turned paradise into a primary nuclear target.

[@IslenoGutierrez]

It’s turning into an ultra expensive place as if it wasn’t already enough

[@historymomo3743]

Eskimos originally came from Asia across a land bridge,I just hope that all full blooded eskimos don't get mixed like what happen to the native americans or hawians (land bridge which no longer exists) into northern North America (now called Alaska). Eskimos gradually spread across the Arctic regions of the continent. Eventually, they came to live in four countries: The Soviet Union, The United States, Canada and Greenland. Spread this out before there would be any claimers,saying false things. Just posting this up on random videos because there are some people saying eskimos are black,hispanic,or what ever race.When there actaully asian.Hope you guys feel me.I just hate disclaimers. Also there's a huge climate change COMING OR ALREADY HAPPENING Extra info-(You can also tell a person race by their (Racial Difference In Skull Shapes) Also caucasians(White people)and asians have neantherthal Dna in them while 100% blooded blacks are 100% human.But white people have more neantherthal in them because neantherthal are redheads,and blonde,black people are not redheads. There is also a problem were people says asian people needs to get out of hawaii...Pure hawaiins have more asian blood in them and squenty eyes and chubby cheeks,no offense to asians.Don't get mess up with this. ---History---

[@mindlesstupa]

No they shouldn't. Totally different landmass. *facepalm

[@monikvandal9486]

who's the 3 fuckers who don't like it ?

[@gregcarter8656]

2:06 to 2:13 That hula teacher says "the Hawaiian language was ummm . . . illegal . . . to be used in the in the public domain". I challenge Dr. Tangaro to specifically cite any specific Hawaii government law which explicitly stated that "Hawaiian language is illegal" for any purpose, or "in public". I've browsed through Hawaii's constitutions and laws, and never seen any explicit prohibition on the use of Hawaiian language. English was required for government funding of schools, but Hawaiian was not banned by law.

[@gregcarter8656]

@Kanak Attack Missionaries never ruled Hawaii. Nobody can effectively "ban" a culture, nor a language. For example, right here and now I can say "I ban you from using English". But that does not prevent you from using it. So are you really banned? Of course not. Murder is "banned". Does that prevent all murders? Nope. Speeding is "illegal", but it happens every day. A ban, or even a law, is easily broken. So it's not that effective.

[@gregcarter8656]

@Kanak Attack Missionaries learned Hawaiian, created the Hawaiian alphabet, taught Hawaiians to read and write in Hawaiian, translated the Bible into Hawaiian, and published thousands of pages of educational materials in Hawaiian. The first Hawaiian dictionary was created by a missionary, Lorrin Andrews, and published in 1865. Every publication in Hawaiian owes its existence to the initial work done by missionaries.

[@gregcarter8656]

@Kanak Attack Your comment that "missionaries . . . banned our language and culture" is absurdly ignorant. Missionaries championed the Hawaiian language. They actually created its written form, which allowed it to be used to create the Hawaiian constitutions, and all laws written in Hawaiian, plus all Hawaiian newspapers, and all Hawaiian chants and songs which have been preserved thanks to written Hawaiian.

[@gregcarter8656]

@Kanak Attack I challenge you to SPECIFY the exact "period of time" when MISSIONARIES "banned our language and culture". Tell us the exact year, and the exact names of the missionaries, and the exact ban. By the way, you know that song "Hawaii Aloha"? The one we sing at Hawaiian cultural events, where everyone joins hands? You know who wrote that song? It was 2 missionaries. Music by James McGranahan, words by Lorenzo Lyons.

[@denecedesha260]

@@gregcarter8656 I have read stories of student at Kamehamaha school in Honolua about 1900 that wete punished and/or expel ed from school for talk in English. Even outside of school. I read a story of my husbands Auntie who was expelled for dancing the hula.

[@TMCmn08]

Native American is a term for all pre-colonial inhabitants of the land extending from the Northernmost end of Canada all the way to the Southernmost end of South America, Okay? That's a lot of land. To say that Hawaiians are nothing like Native Americans is a really poorly informed statement. Hawaiians are not much like the Ojibwe who are not much like the Nahuat Pipil who are not much like the Inuit who are not much like the Kickapoo who are not much like the Quechua, are you getting my point here? I mean seriously people, you have absolutely no right to call out the ignorant posts on this page when you are going to make such vast generalizations. In academia Hawaiians are often grouped as American Indians. This does not consitute feathers and flutes (I even feel racist saying that), it refers to native people of the AMERICAS which, unfortunately, includes Hawaii. Ugh I always tell myself not to read comments after videos, but I always do and I end up writing a damn novel.

[@kpaukeaho6180]

But Hawai‘i is not part of the Americas. Our administration by the U.S. government is the only thing that attaches us to America, and that doesn't make us part of the Americas any more than French Polynesia is a part of Europe. We are geographically, genetically, and culturally Polynesian, though we do share many similar indigenous perspectives with our kin of Turtle Island.

[@eagleturtleyarnell7048]

in responsè to TMCmn08, I appreciate your considered assertians, AND you might want to check about *feathers and flutes* because certainly the most famous King Kamehameha I who unified the islands wore a macnificent Cape of feathers for major ceremony ... and there are two honoring statues thereof, one in Honolulu and one on the Big Island. ...Ahu‘ula of King Kamehameha I ... Kānaka Maoli have long created featherwork of amazing skill and artistry. These items were worn in battle and different state affairs to signify rank. The capes, and other feathered articles like cloaks, helmets and kāhili were treasured items of the ali‘i. quoted from the Bishop Museum a well-known keeper of Hawaiian history. The term Native American should probably be relegated to those members of the continents of North and South America... having existed as its own country, Hawaii has truly earned the right to be considered as having its own people... some would say more aboriginal than indigenous... Kind of academic... being of Southeastern American Indian extraction myself, and studying Hawaiian history, I tend to use the term native Hawaiian... Just some musings...

[@matiamanoo9715]

They look like the people of new zealand. Maori people. What if they were connected

[@kaylaandres2316]

matia manoo all Polynesians are connected

[@alemalem6728]

But they're almost dead because no pure blood anymore. They're European wanna be Polynesian. As a pure blood Tongan, I don't feel close to them at all.

[@ryanmccarthy406]

thecolt hazza fr? I get what u sayin brah, my dad one full Irish my madda full maoli, I am more fairskin than dark, but thank god my dad tall so I can fit in with size and features but not skin color since I am also European, love ma Tokos prolly know ya cousins in the Bay Area or big island Hawaii 🤙🏼

[@iceandcoconuts]

How can it be native americans when it's a completely different island and place? Just saying

[@beenannon]

Hawai'i is a part of the Polynesian Triangle and was settled by the same group of people as basically everyone in the Pacific. Easter Island (Rapa nui), Hawai'i and New Zealand (Aotearoa) are the three points of said triangle. Hawaiian culture has no ties to the indigenous first nation of North America. Their ancestors are proven to be the Proto-polynesians or Lapita people, who migrated most likely from Taiwan, through SE Asia and to PNG continuing east and all over the rest of the Pacific.

[@arioario4487]

They are originally Malays.

[@gregcarter8656]

@@The.Hawaiian.Kingdom Likewise, there's "no proof" that you even exist . . . "its [sic] just one of many theories".

[@mrfin02]

They weren't malays but they sure were Asian (brown skinned ones)

[@beenannon]

No they weren't. At least not technically but they do share some similarities. Hawai'i is a part of the Polynesian Triangle and was settled by the same group of people as basically everyone in the Pacific. Easter Island (Rapa nui), Hawai'i and New Zealand (Aotearoa) are the three points of said triangle. Hawaiian culture has no ties to the indigenous first nation of North America. Their ancestors are proven to be the Proto-polynesians or Lapita people, who migrated most likely from Taiwan, through SE Asia and to PNG continuing east and all over the rest of the Pacific. All of this is proven by linguistic tracing, carbon dating in archeology, dna linking and plant dna traces.

[@ygjt76v0-----]

Its java or jawa , many similarity of languange

[@palmapanfu]

Hawaiians are Polynesians. Not really related to

[@dynamite6507]

Its sad that your language was illegal and your heritage was pushed out of your land. Hula people should have never married outside of their race. Probaly would have helped the language stay around

[@barbiexo3440]

native hawaiians should be considered as native americans. my opinion

[@kaylaandres2316]

Barbie xo no they shouldn’t because they are native to hawaii not America now stop

[@blaznfattyz]

i dont think they are native americans. if anything, they are native oceanians. they are people of the ocean in a particular region. that particular region is hawaii. kanaka maoli.

[@beenannon]

No they shouldn't. Hawai'i is a part of the Polynesian Triangle and was settled by the same group of people as basically everyone in the Pacific. Easter Island (Rapa nui), Hawai'i and New Zealand (Aotearoa) are the three points of said triangle. Hawaiian culture has no ties to the indigenous first nation of North America. Their ancestors are proven to be the Proto-polynesians or Lapita people, who migrated most likely from Taiwan, through SE Asia and to PNG continuing east and all over the rest of the Pacific.

[@kenyattathepositiveleader4717]

Lies!

[@9xprincess]

1st. Hawaii is part of U.S.A. 2nd. Any south, central or north american natives are "Native Americans" 3rd. Hawaii is part of the N.American continent.

[@lol4loc4]

You stupid fool, they are Polynesians

[@ewwsione9822]

Hawaii is still Hawai'i fuck that usa government bullshhh*

[@NaniKaiKoaIkaia]

1st. Hawai'i was ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED and STILL is!!! 2nd go talk to a Native American so they can school you!!! 3rd. re-read number ONE and last time I checked Hawai'i is an isolated volcanic archipelago in the pacific ocean!

[@reneeb5392]

It was a stolen land and made to be American...

[@Westcoast™honey69]

Stupid😡

[@Indiabarbie12]

Even some of the women with super long black/brown hair,body and facial features and Asian like eyes. looks like my native American Indian grandmother in my avatar. They look to much like native Indians to me.again what race of people are they I never knew I always thought they were such beautiful people.