WHEREAS, without a written language, other means were used by ancient Hawaiians to impart history, folklore, and cultural knowledge and practices to subsequent generations; and

WHEREAS, hula chants and dances have long been one of the most important means of communication used by Hawaiians to convey and preserve their stories and histories; and

WHEREAS, the first oral account of a hula performance dates back to the seventh century with historical records documenting performances on the Kona coast at Kealakekua Bay and on Oahu at Waimea Bay; and

WHEREAS, although public hula performances declined from 1830 to 1870 when a royal edict banned this critical art form, hula continued to be a major source of communication and historical preservation, as evidenced by the operation of clandestine hula schools on every island in Hawaii, and the attendance of hula performances by numerous people despite the threat of punishment; and

WHEREAS, King David Kalakaua, known as the "Merrie Monarch," restored and revitalized many of the almost forgotten cultural traditions of the Hawaiian people, including the hula, which gained widespread acceptance, flourished at official and non-official functions, and in the early 1900s became a burgeoning entertainment feature of the growing tourism industry; and

WHEREAS, over the last four decades, a growing movement to preserve Hawaiian culture sparked a new found interest in traditional hula, and in 1991, hula was designated the official dance of the State of Hawaii in recognition of hula as an important tool to teach the history, values, and philosophies of the Hawaiian culture; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, that this body hereby acknowledges hula as an essential instrument to preserve, and a vital part of, the history and cultural traditions of the people of Hawaii, and recognizes April 1, 2003, to March 31, 2004, as the "Year of the Hula;" and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii.

Report Title:

Year of the Hula