On the Kuleana of a Kumu Hula
Amy Kuʹuleialoha Stillman
January 2008, ver. 5
The title of Kumu Hula commands great respect. At the
same time, there has emerged great concern that the title has come to be used
too freely, and without understanding or awareness of the kuleana—responsibility—that
the title carries. The title itself has a history, and that history is not
entirely crystal clear. There were kupuna in the
1960s, for example, who did not use the term kumu
hula; instead they applied the designation loea to revered masters—and only
to revered masters.
In the Hawaiian Dictionary by Pukui and Elbert,
the definition of “kumu hula” does not have the
all-encompassing sense of current usage. Consider how the Hawaiian Dictionary presents the definition of kumu:
1.
Bottom, base, foundation, basis, title (as to land), main stalk of a tree,
trunk, handle, root (in arithmetic); basic; hereditary, fundamental. Kumupali, base
foot of a cliff. ‘Ike kumu,
basic, fundamental knowledge. Ali’i kumu, hereditary chief. Alanui kumu, main
street. ‘Auikumu, nominative
case. Kumu kāhili, staff of a kāhili. Kumu nalu, source of waves, as where surfing
starts. Mai ke kumu ā ka wēlau, from
trunk to tip [all, entirely]. (PPN tumu.)
2.
Teacher, tutor, manual, primer, model, pattern. Kumu alaka’i,
guide, model, example. Ka’u kumu, my teacher. Kumu ho’ohālike, pattern, example, model. Kumu hula, hula teacher. Kumu ku’i, boxing teacher. Kumu kula,
school teacher. Kumu leo mele, song book. Kumu mua, first primer.
3.
Beginning, source, origin; starting point of plaiting. ho’o.kumu To make a beginning, originate, create,
commence, establish, inaugurate, initiate, institute, found, start.
4.
Reason, cause, goal, justification, motive, grounds, purpose, object, why. Kumu no ka ‘oki male, grounds for divorce. Kumu ‘ole, without reason or cause.
He aha ke kumu
i ‘eha ai
kou wāwae? What
is the reason for your foot hurting?
The term kumu
hula is ensconced within the second sense of kumu—a teacher who is a guide or
model. Fundamentally, viewing this sense of teacher through the first
definition affirms an understanding that a kumu is a
foundation. The proverb “I ola
nā lālā no ke kumu” underscores the vital
life-giving function of a foundation to that which it generates and supports:
The leaves live because of the trunk.
In hula, the kumu hula is a repository of knowledge.
Each kumu
hula has many kuleana.
It is the kumu hula’s kuleana to cultivate
respect in and for hula.
The way that kumu hula are trained has evolved tremendously within a
matter of two or three decades—a short time indeed in the centuries-old hula
tradition. Yet while the specifics of the
training of kumu hula have changed, the overall aspiration of kumu
hula has remained constant: to honor the kuleana to
safeguard and pass on knowledge about hula.
The status of “kumu hula” has always been one that is earned through the
recognition of peers and the respect of haumana. The
title is never bestowed by oneself onto oneself. The title should never be
taken by anyone without a personal
connection to a kumu hula. A kumu
hula is someone who has received the blessing of his or her own kumu. Those who have been privileged to earn his or her kumu’s trust understand why that trust has been earned, why
it is sacred, and why it must never be broken.
There are many many hula teachers in the present whose journeys have not
included the formalized and ritualized training structures that have emerged
since the 1970s renaissance of Hawaiian culture and language. There is no
question that their accomplishments and contributions have entitled them to our
respect. To their students, they have served as foundations. Because of their
efforts, the hula tradition remained alive. And through their commitment to
hula, many have, in fact, acquired and mastered the knowledges
necessary to be foundations to their students in the present.
The thoughts assembled here
offer ways of thinking through the kinds of knowledges
and understandings that could be useful to kumu hula.
It is not a checklist for becoming a kumu hula.
The specifics of that process belong solely to those responsible for ensuring
its integrity.
By putting these thoughts forward,
I hope these points and questions foster deeper awareness and informed dialogue
on the varied dimensions of hula, and greater respect for the knowledges that kumu hula draw on
in perpetuating this venerable tradition.
These thoughts are based on
conversations with many folks over the years, and I am very grateful for their
patience with me as well as their mana’o. However,
all responsibility for the thoughts and opinions expressed here rests with me.
Questions on Hula Knowledges
1.
Do you understand
why hula is meaningful to Hawaiian people?
2.
Do you
understand why mele is important to hula?
3.
Do you
understand why mele is meaningful to Hawaiian people?
4.
Do you know how
to do research on mele?
5.
Do you know how
to confirm the accuracy of lyrics, resolve discrepancies, and remedy
deficiencies?
6.
Do you know how
to identify the haku mele
of chants and songs?
7.
Can you perform
the dances you are teaching?
8.
Can you
pronounce correctly the titles of the dances you perform and teach?
9.
Can you
pronounce the lyrics correctly?
10. Can you explain the content of the dances you are
teaching?
11. Can you translate a mele?
12. Do you know where to look for translations?
13. Do you know the differences among various
Hawaiian-English dictionaries? Do you know why it matters?
14. Do you understand the concept of kaona? Do you understand its
levels and its limitations?
15. Do you understand the proverb “i ka ‘ōlelo ke ola, i
ka ‘ōlelo ka make”?
16. Do you understand how the words of mele have power?
17. Do you know traditional hula vocabulary?
18. Do you know the names for basic feet in your
teacher’s tradition? And in at least one other tradition?
19. Do you know how to analyze dance movement?
20. Do you know how to finetune
students’ dancing?
21. Do you understand the concept of muscle memory in
your teaching?
22. Do you know how to diagnose and correct student
errors and/or bad habits?
23. Do you know what is appropriate to teach for
different age groups?
24. Do you know how to explain what the hula is to your
audiences?
25. Do you know how to explain what the hula is to potential
clients?
26. Every hula performer is a cultural ambassador. Do you
know how to respond when strangers laugh and do “air wave” hand motions?
27. Do you know how to prepare your students to respond
when strangers laugh and do “air wave” hand motions?
28. Can you play ‘ukulele?
29. Can you operate a CD player?
30. Can you operate an iPod?
31. Do you know how to select music for hula?
32. Do you know where to look for music?
33. Do you know how to speak into a microphone
effectively?
34. Do you know how to give instructions to musicians?
35. Do you understand our moral imperative to support
Hawaiian music recording artists by recommending that your students purchase
CDs instead of circulate copies--thereby depriving the artists of fair
compensation for their labor?
36. Can you pronounce the names of the hula implements
correctly?
37. Do you know the conventions of ki’ipā for the various implements?
38. Can you perform or teach a hula ‘auana
using single or double pu’ili?
39. Can you perform or teach a hula ‘auana
using single or double ‘uli’uli?
40. Can you perform or teach a hula ‘auana
using ipu heke ‘ole?
41. Do you know how to care for hula implements?
42. Do you know how to select appropriate lei for
dancers?
43. Do you know how to make lei?
44. Do you know how to care properly for lei?
45. Do you know how to select plant materials for lei?
46. Do you know how to gather plant materials for leimaking in an environmentally sensitive way?
47. Do you know how to combine plant materials in lei?
48. Do you know how to select costumes?
49. Do you know how to make costumes?
50. Do you understand color significance in costumes and
lei?
51. Do you know how to secure costumes and lei on
dancers?
52. Do you know names of flowers for each island?
53. Do you understand how to use costume styles to
enhance dancers’ bodies?
54. Do you understand how to use costume styles to
enhance the dance movements?
55. Do you know how to care properly for costumes?
56. Can you oli?
57. Can you pa’i an ipu?
58. Do you know the names of the rhythms played by the ho’opa’a?
59. Do you know which rhythms are traditional to ipu?
60. Can you pa’i a pahu?
61. Do you know which rhythms are traditional to pahu?
62. Do you know why the rhythms for ipu
and pahu are not interchangeable?
63. Do you know when a mele
should be accompanied by one and not the other?
64. Do you know the protocols surrounding the use and
placement of ipu heke?
65. Do you know the protocols surrounding the use and
placement of the dancer’s implements?
66. Can you perform or teach a hula noho
using kuhi
67. Can you perform or teach a hula noho
using pa’i umauma?
68. Can you perform or teach a hula noho
using ‘ili’ili?
69. Can you perform or teach a hula noho
using kala’au?
70. Can you perform or teach a hula noho
using pu’ili?
71. Can you perform or teach a hula noho
using ‘uli’uli?
72. Can you perform or teach a hula noho
using ipu?
73. Do you know how to create new hula ‘auana?
74. Do you know how to create new hula kahiko?
75. Do you know how to choreograph using the hula
implements?
76. Do you know how to create new implement rhythms? Do
you understand when it is appropriate to do so?
77. Do you know how to create new hula steps? Do you understand
when it is appropriate to do so?
78. Do you know vocabulary for types of mele?
79. Do you understand why certain types of mele are more appropriate for hula than others?
80. Do you understand why certain types of mele are not appropriate for hula?
81. Do you understand the differences among different
styles of oli?
82. Do you understand which styles of oli
are appropriate with which kinds of mele?
83. Do you understand which styles of oli
are appropriate in which kinds of situations?
84. Do you know the protocols for ordering chants and
hula within a traditional hula program?
85. Do you know names of plants for the kuahu hula?
86. Do you understand the role of pule
in your teaching and performing endeavors?
87. Do you know how to address Laka?
88. Do you know how to address Kapōʹulakīnaʹu?
89. Do you understand why sacred dances are surrounded by
kapu?
90. Do you understand why some dances and mele are more sacred than others?
91. Do you know how to focus your students’ attention?
92. Do you know how to treat your own kumu
with respect?
93. Do you know the sources of the hula and chants you
learned from your kumu?
94. Do you know your kumu’s
hula genealogy?
95. Do you know who are historically
significant sources in hula lineages other than your own?
96. Do you know how to treat your fellow kumu hula colleagues with respect?
97. Do you know how to treat other people’s kumu with respect?
98. Do you know how to treat haumana
of other kumu hula with respect?
99. Do you earn the respect of your haumana
instead of expect it?
100.
Do you earn the
trust of your haumana instead of expect it?
101.
Do you know how
to nurture passion for hula in your haumana?
102.
Do you know how
to nurture haumana to become responsible for their
hula knowledge, skills, implements, and costumes?
103.
Do you know how
to recognize and cultivate a haumana’s passion when
s/he demonstrates it?
104.
Do you know how
to assess whether a student is adequately prepared to be trusted with increased
responsibility?
105.
Do you know how
to protect your students from negative energy?
106.
Do you know how
to protect your reputation?
107.
Do you
understand why your kumu taught you the way s/he did?
108.
Do you
understand why knowledge is sometimes withheld from students?
109.
Do you know the
proverb “’A’ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka
halau ho’okahi”?
110.
Do you live by
it?
111.
Do you know how
to offer evaluation and criticism constructively?
112.
Do you
understand your kuleana to speak up when something is
not pono?
113.
Do you
understand when it is not appropriate
to speak up when you see something you think may not be in the best interest of
hula?
114.
Do you
understand your kuleana to maintain the skills and
knowledge you have received from your kumu?
115.
Do you
understand why some dances must be maintained exactly in the style in which it
came to you?
116.
Do you
understand what is hewa about
taking an existing choreography and changing parts of it?
117.
Do you strive
for new knowledge beyond what you received from your kumu?
118.
Do you
understand your kuleana to pass on the skills and
knowledge you have received so that it does not end with you?
119.
Do you empower
your students to exceed your own knowledge and capabilities?
120.
Do you
understand your kuleana to impart skills and
knowledge only when haumana are ready to receive it?
121.
Do you
understand your kuleana to share your skills and
knowledge with your community?
122.
Do you
understand your kuleana to continue to learn about mele and hula on your journey through life?
123.
Do you
understand the kuleana to contribute to the hula
tradition?
124.
Do you know
vocabulary for Hawaiian values?
125.
Do you live by
them?
126.
What is your
motivation for being or becoming a kumu hula?
127.
A kumu is a foundation. Do you possess sufficient knowledge
and passion to be a foundation in hula for your students?