King Kalākaua Revived Hula Culture

Hawaiʻi's Cultural Resurgence: King Kalākaua, Global Diplomacy, and Enduring Traditions 

Within the history of monarchy, King David Laʻamea Kalākaua possesses distinctive importance. Hawaiʻi’s last male sovereign undertook an unparalleled expedition, establishing him as the premier head of state to travel completely round the globe. His comprehensive tour facilitated meetings with global leaders such as Pope Leo XIII and Queen Victoria. Conversations also occurred with Thomas Edison, the pioneering inventor. Kalākaua utilized these opportunities for sharing Hawaiian customs among diverse international groups. His dedication to cultural vitality remains significant more than 130 years following the conclusion of his rule. A chief example of his lasting effect is the Merrie Monarch Festival, a hula gathering with worldwide renown. 

Hilo’s Sacred Performance Ground 

Profound respect permeates the atmosphere within the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. With deliberate elegance, hula performers step onto the stage. Their unified gestures vividly depict ancient Hawaiian legends alongside historical events. Mele, or powerful chants, supply a resonant vocal foundation. This compelling hula display constitutes a central aspect of the yearly Merrie Monarch Festival. It visually embodies the restoration of a cultural tradition that experienced eras of restriction. The presentations celebrate Hawaiian heritage's continuity and resilience, revealing its intricate artistry to onlookers. 

Image Credit - BBC

The Pinnacle Hula Event 

Affectionately called the "Olympics of Hula," the Merrie Monarch Festival unfolds over multiple days. Its 62nd gathering is planned for April 20th until April 26th, 2025. This important occasion champions the revered, traditional disciplines of Hawaiian dance alongside vocalization. It offers an essential stage for preserving ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, the native Hawaiian language. Furthermore, the event perpetuates historical narratives, spiritual philosophies, and specific cultural activities passed down through generations. Each year, substantial crowds assemble on Hawaiʻi Island for this cultural zenith. Vast numbers additionally watch televised contests highlighting Hawaiʻi’s most accomplished hālau (hula academies). 

An Array of Heritage Activities 

The Merrie Monarch Festival's offerings extend beyond the hula competitions alone. Attendees can explore dynamic art showcases presenting pieces by local creators. Expansive craft fairs display both traditionally influenced and contemporary Hawaiian goods. Through Hilo's streets travels a majestic royal parade, adding ceremonial splendor. This rich assortment of activities solidifies the festival's status as the preeminent global exhibition of Hawaiian culture. It generates unique prospects for cultural education along with appreciation, attracting participants worldwide interested in experiencing Hawaiʻi's living customs directly. They witness the vibrancy Kalākaua worked diligently to safeguard. 

Royal Advocacy for Culture 

Kū Kahakalau, a recognized specialist in Hawaiian language and cultural activities, explicitly links this concentrated week to King Kalākaua’s intentional initiatives. Kahakalau considers the festival duration a designated interval for celebrating Hawaiian identity and communal pride. King Kalākaua became known as "The Merrie Monarch" reflecting his cheerful personality and enjoyment of festivities. He ascended to Hawaiʻi's leadership in 1874, governing until 1891. His habit of singing and strumming the ukulele for visitors bolstered his reputation for sociability and warmth. Modern cultural preservation undertakings build upon the groundwork his dedication established. 

A Challenged Succession 

Difficulties marked Kalākaua's initial accession to leadership. His rise occurred after instability following King Lunalilo’s 1874 death. Lunalilo, whose brief reign followed the Kamehameha dynasty's conclusion, passed away without naming an heir. For selecting the next monarch, the kingdom's constitution required a legislative election. Queen Emma, King Kamehameha IV’s respected widow, and Kalākaua surfaced as the principal candidates. Kalākaua secured a commanding legislative win, 39 votes compared to 6. Some viewed him as potentially more sympathetic towards American commercial ambitions, a consideration shaping the political environment. 

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Disturbance and Intervention 

Violent opposition from Queen Emma’s supporters erupted immediately after the election results. Partisans congregated outside Honolulu's Courthouse, the location of the legislative ballot. The assembly assaulted legislators understood to have supported Kalākaua; injuries were sustained by thirteen lawmakers. The kingdom lacked any formal army at that juncture. Local police forces were overwhelmed, and reports suggested some officers aligned with the rioters. Confronting disorder beyond control, Kalākaua and state officials requested assistance from American and British naval ships present in Honolulu's port. Marines along with sailors came ashore, suppressed the riot, and established security. Under this fragile calm, Kalākaua formally pronounced his oath the subsequent day. 

A Heritage Under Threat 

King Kalākaua inherited leadership over a kingdom where native Hawaiian culture confronted serious dangers. A significant turning point was the 1820 arrival of Protestant missionaries from New England. Besides religious teachings, they unwittingly introduced infections previously unknown within the islands. Diseases such as measles severely impacted the Native Hawaiian community, which had no developed immunity. Missionaries laboured persistently converting island inhabitants from their ancestral polytheistic worldview. Over time, missionary influence expanded substantially within the Hawaiian government's organization. Official actions resulted, aimed at diminishing local customs alongside spiritual practices considered incompatible with Christian doctrines. 

Hula Driven to Concealment 

Missionaries regarded numerous traditional Hawaiian activities with strong disapproval. Public hula displays drew particular criticism. Using terms like "heathen," they associated the dance with perceived lack of morals. Influential Hawaiian nobles converted to Christianity. The powerful regent (kuhina nui) Queen Kaʻahumanu, Kamehameha I’s widow, embraced the new religion. Following missionary advice, she instituted a ban on public hula demonstrations around 1830. This directive forced a fundamental aspect of Hawaiian cultural expression into secrecy. Although practitioners privately continued hula, the restriction greatly limited its open performance for decades. 

The King’s Mission: Hoʻoulu Lāhui 

King Kalākaua championed the guiding philosophy Hoʻoulu Lāhui, signifying "Increase the Nation" or alternatively "Revitalise the People." His dedication to nurturing a strong, unified national character based on Hawaiian traditions was fueled by this motto. His rule consciously directed a cultural flowering throughout the islands. Kalākaua actively aimed to recover traditional practices that were silenced during the preceding era influenced by missionaries. His revitalisation agenda included the Hawaiian language, traditional music styles, indigenous artistic forms, and native healing knowledge. Hula's protection and promotion became among his most enduring and visible legacies. 

Image Credit - BBC

The Pulse of the People 

King Kalākaua deeply understood hula's profound cultural meaning. He expressed this connection eloquently, stating hula operates as "the language of the heart, and therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people." This potent analogy conveyed hula's role extending beyond simple entertainment; it played the role of an essential channel for emotional articulation, recounting history, and spiritual connection. He viewed hula as embodying Hawaiian identity's very core. His commitment to restoring hula's public prominence was a courageous demonstration of cultural reclamation. Foreign judgment aiming for its eradication was directly challenged. 

Perceiving Beyond Stereotypes 

Frequent global imagery linked with "hula" often fails to convey its true significance. Commercial uses like tiki bars, dashboard decorations, or overly simplified tourist shows frequently sustain misleading impressions. Long before such commodification and cultural appropriation emerged, however, hula served Native Hawaiians as a deeply sacred activity. It functioned as their living repository of collective memory, holding history, genealogies, religious insights, social structures, and environmental wisdom. Hula was central to major ceremonies, rituals, and transmitting cultural principles across generations. 

Custodians of Oral Tradition 

Hawaiʻi cultivated a sophisticated oral culture prior to sustained European interaction initiated by Captain James Cook's 1778 visit. Complex knowledge systems, lengthy historical epics, detailed family lines, and elaborate mythologies were carefully maintained and passed on via spoken stories and hula's intricate movements. Specially trained dancers, the ʻōlapa, and chanters known as hoʻopaʻa acted as guardians protecting this invaluable cultural inheritance. Throughout the 19th-century prohibition, dedicated Hawaiians ensured hula's persistence. They practiced and taught the art form covertly, often within secluded rural locations, preserving it from total extinction. 

Coronation as Cultural Affirmation 

King Kalākaua’s Hoʻoulu Lāhui efforts supplied the impetus for hula's public comeback. His coronation was deliberately arranged as a major cultural affirmation. Occurring in February 1883, nine years after his election, the affair included two weeks filled with extravagant celebrations. It provided an unambiguous stage for presenting indigenous Hawaiian customs. Previously restricted cultural forms featured prominently in the celebrations: traditional music presentations, extensive ancient hula (hula kahiko) performances, and large customary feasts (lūʻau). This public endorsement powerfully asserted Hawaiian culture's value and dynamism after decades of being stifled. 

Jubilee Reinforces Cultural Renewal 

Three years subsequent to his coronation, King Kalākaua commemorated his 50th birthday with another large cultural affair: his 1886 Silver Jubilee. This celebration presented a further notable opportunity for public cultural displays. Hoʻopaʻa (chanters) and ʻōlapa (dancers) again performed hula openly. A substantial parade travelled through Honolulu, integrating traditional arts more deeply into public existence. These carefully orchestrated occasions cemented hula's recovered standing within the kingdom. King Kalākaua’s crucial role in ensuring Hawaiʻi’s cultural vitality survived is directly honoured by the contemporary Merrie Monarch Festival. 

Image Credit - BBC

Preserving Ancient Oral Texts 

Cultural authority Kū Kahakalau emphasizes King Kalākaua’s profound respect for, and deep knowledge of, his Hawaiian ancestry. A primary demonstration of this commitment relates to the king’s actions concerning the Kumulipo. This ancient chant constitutes a foundational text within Hawaiian culture. It narrates the universe's creation, life's beginnings, and the sacred genealogies connecting Hawaiian royalty (aliʻi) with deities and the cosmos. The Kumulipo, comprising thousands of lines, had been conveyed orally across generations. Kalākaua supported its documentation and saw a version published in 1889, thus protecting this critical piece of cultural legacy for the future. 

A Monarch on the Global Scene 

King Kalākaua’s perspective extended beyond Hawaiʻi's shores. He leveraged the rich Polynesian inheritance of skilled wayfinding and long-range sea voyages. In 1881, he initiated an exceptional journey, attaining the distinction of being the very first head of state to circle the globe. This challenging 281-day voyage served several objectives. It centered on global diplomacy, investigating foreign governance models, and enhancing Hawaiʻi's international position. Additionally, he explored potential immigrant labour sources for Hawaiʻi's expanding sugar cultivation sector and aimed to build alliances protecting Hawaiian autonomy from growing foreign influence. 

Worldwide Diplomacy and Learning 

Kalākaua's broad travel plan encompassed Asia, the Middle East, Europe, plus the United States. Japan’s Emperor Meiji provided a hospitable reception; the imperial orchestra performed Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī, the Hawaiian national anthem Kalākaua had personally written. While visiting China, the king discussed migration policies influencing Chinese workers journeying towards Hawaiʻi. He toured Egypt's ancient marvels, including the pyramids along with the sphinx, as guest of the Khedive. Formal audiences transpired with Pope Leo XIII inside the Vatican and Queen Victoria within London, featuring exchanges of royal decorations. Unexpected occurrences marked the journey, such as a train being delayed in Spain allegedly after hitting livestock. 

Technology and Illuminating Royalty 

Kalākaua showed significant interest in technological advancements during his global travels. A key meeting transpired in New York City involving Thomas Edison. The celebrated inventor displayed his recent progress regarding electric lighting. Kalākaua perceived this technology's possibilities for his kingdom and worked towards its implementation after returning. Consequently, ʻIolani Palace, the magnificent royal home Kalākaua rebuilt, became the planet's one of the earliest royal palaces featuring electric lights during 1886. This adoption happened five years before the US White House gaining electrification. Currently, the restored ʻIolani Palace functions as a museum, the only structure in America formerly housing royalty. 

Nurturing International Relationships 

Kenneth "Aloha" Victor, a renowned kumu hula and owner of the Kauluaʻe clothing company, highlights King Kalākaua's diplomatic aptitude. Victor points out the king’s capacity for building personal rapport that fostered vital diplomatic partnerships. Kalākaua concluded treaties intended to promote Hawaiian objectives. Besides appointing official delegates to key areas like Asia and Europe, the king maintained an extensive web of global connections. Consular representation for the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi existed in over one hundred worldwide locations. Notably, Great Britain alone contained over a dozen officials advancing Hawaiian interests, underlining the significance given to that relationship. 

Image Credit - BBC

Documenting Heritage for the Future 

King Kalākaua grasped the importance of written archives alongside vibrant spoken traditions. He set in motion projects for formally documenting Hawaiian history, folklore, plus cultural understanding. Collaborating closely with na kahuna (traditional practitioners and priests) and respected community seniors known as kūpuna, he aimed to preserve traditional legends (moʻolelo), chants (mele), along with narratives that provided context for hula performances. He published a compilation of these narratives in 1888 titled "Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi." Releasing the work in both Hawaiian and English versions allowed Kalākaua to use it diplomatically, presenting copies to foreign representatives to foster deeper cultural comprehension. 

Cultivating Future Leaders 

Kalākaua’s experiences abroad spurred another forward-thinking plan: an educational program aimed at promising young Hawaiians. He arranged government financing to sponsor students undertaking advanced learning overseas. These individuals pursued studies in essential areas, encompassing law, medicine, international relations, engineering, visual arts, music, plus skilled occupations. The king imagined their return to Hawaiʻi equipped with superior skills. They would subsequently aid the kingdom's administration, advancement, and self-reliance. This deliberate investment in education sought to provide Hawaiʻi with capable leaders equipped to manage modern world complexities while staying true to Hawaiian principles. 

A Persistent Educational Legacy 

Enduring positive consequences resulted from the overseas study program initiated by King Kalākaua. Its impact remained visible more than one hundred years following its start. Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa, directly descended from a young man educated internationally via this program, served as a prominent illustration before her passing in 2022. A dedicated philanthropist and unwavering supporter of Hawaiian culture, Princess Kawānanakoa allocated substantial personal finances towards maintaining the heritage Kalākaua advocated. Her foundation furnished critical funding enabling the meticulous restoration of ʻIolani Palace, thus preserving this vital representation of Hawaiian history and governance. 

A Figure of Wide-Ranging Expertise 

King Kalākaua genuinely exemplified a "Renaissance Man" appropriate for his era. He skillfully merged profound reverence for traditional Hawaiian culture with a dynamic interest in contemporary science along with technology. Aside from his recognized cultural and diplomatic functions, Kalākaua possessed an inventive intellect. He drafted plans for useful innovations. His concepts covered improved hull forms for ships resilient in storms, marine weaponry like torpedoes, enhanced bottle closure systems, plus optical devices for measuring distance. His diverse interests demonstrated an ability to embrace ancestral wisdom concurrently with modern developments. 

Early Integration of New Communication 

Kalākaua’s engagement with contemporary technology included adopting the telephone early on. He arranged for a telephone line installation linking his office within ʻIolani Palace to his adjacent private pier area. This pier often served as the backdrop for royal lūʻau functions. Such feasts entertained visiting global dignitaries, other national leaders, plus various esteemed guests. Implementing this fairly new communication tool highlighted Kalākaua’s openness to utilizing modern conveniences. Simultaneously, he employed customary Hawaiian hospitality environments while carrying out important state duties, bridging distinct cultural realms. 

Image Credit - BBC

Facing Political Opposition 

Despite cultural triumphs and international initiatives, Kalākaua met considerable political opposition during his reign. Resistance mainly came from influential individuals within the non-Hawaiian business sphere, many having strong US connections. This faction desired to limit monarchical power while expanding their own political along with economic dominance. They criticized royal spending, mentioning costs associated with rebuilding ʻIolani Palace and financing cultural programs. Disagreements regarding renewal of the Reciprocity Treaty with the US, which encompassed granting sole use of Pearl Harbor, intensified political discord. Allegations related to government contracts also fueled resistance. 

The Constitution Imposed by Force 

Opposition groups consolidated their influence during 1887. King Kalākaua was confronted by a committee largely comprising businessmen and political figures, supported by the Honolulu Rifles, an armed volunteer unit. Under pressure, they compelled him to endorse a new constitution. This document is historically recalled as the "Bayonet Constitution," referencing the threat of violence implicit in its establishment. This constitution drastically reduced the monarch's executive authority, transferring practical control towards a cabinet led by the opposition group. It also established wealth prerequisites for voting that denied suffrage to numerous Native Hawaiians while giving voting rights to affluent non-citizen residents, further eroding Hawaiian political strength. 

A Continuing Legacy Today 

King Kalākaua signifies considerably more than a historical figure for people within Hawaiʻi presently. Ana Kon, a Hilo-based cultural practitioner, observes a direct linkage between Kalākaua’s efforts and the ongoing vitality associated with Hawaiian customs. The Merrie Monarch Festival offers a key example. Kon underscores that Kalākaua’s initiatives brought global focus upon Hawaiian heritage. His influence aided the revival not only of highly visible elements like language and dance but also sustained other traditions which had endured more quietly under earlier restrictive circumstances. His impact resonates throughout daily cultural activity. 

Engaging in the Celebration 

Obtaining tickets for the main hula competitions at the Merrie Monarch Festival poses challenges due to strong demand. Nevertheless, ample chances allow everyone participation in the festival’s joyful atmosphere. Hilo’s Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, along with the nearby Butler Buildings, transforms into active marketplaces. Over 150 regional craftsmen plus vendors showcase a wide range of traditional alongside contemporary Hawaiian crafts. Visitors can purchase clothing, jewelry, fine art pieces, household items, and more. These markets offer direct financial support to island creators and enable interaction with Hawaiian material culture. 

Culture Thriving Throughout Hawaiʻi 

King Kalākaua’s lasting influence shapes contemporary Hawaiian identity in countless ways, impacting areas far beyond the annual festival week. The final king’s commitment echoes in every expertly performed hula step, each communal lūʻau gathering, and every instance ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is spoken. He effectively nurtured and advocated for indigenous traditions within Hawaiʻi, presenting them confidently before the world. These vital cultural activities continue flourishing spanning the isles currently. They provide authentic, profound experiences for residents alongside visitors, keeping the cultural flame bright for subsequent generations. 

Experiencing Traditions Today 

Modern visitors can readily engage with facets of Kalākaua’s cultural legacy. On Oʻahu, the Polynesian Cultural Center presents lūʻau celebrations reflecting customs maintained through the period of Queen Liliʻuokalani, Kalākaua’s sister who followed him. Adults have opportunities for learning basic hula movements at significant historical Honolulu locations. On Maui, certain resorts, such as the Grand Wailea, provide Hawaiian language instruction and offer sunrise chanting ceremonies known as E Ala E. Cultural hubs, like Waikiki's Outrigger Reef resort's Aʻo Cultural Center, facilitate encounters with experts knowledgeable in traditional canoe building along with Polynesian navigation methods. 

The Unbroken Cadence 

Kenneth "Aloha" Victor forcefully reaffirms the central belief that propelled King Kalākaua: hula genuinely embodies the essential cadence, the vital life-force, of the Hawaiian people. Hula's resurgence and continued performance, the revitalization associated with the Hawaiian language, traditional arts flourishing, and the persistent connection to ancestral understanding all derive strength from the foundations Kalākaua restored. He navigated immense political challenges, and the monarchy’s overthrow occurred shortly after his passing. Despite this, his unwavering dedication towards Hoʻoulu Lāhui sparked a cultural renewal whose effects still shape and sustain Hawaiian identity within the 21st century.