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Anyone who thinks two-and-a-half hours is long for a stage production should note that the production kumu hula Sonny Ching outlined in his first draft would have run for six days. Homecoming for
Sonny Ching’s
hula showBy John Berger
Special to the Star-BulletinIn the pared down "Ho'oulu I Ka Na'auao," Honolulu will see 102 dancers performing 30 mele with pre-recorded narration and video clips helping to convey the cultural and historical context of the show, which translated into English means "to grow in wisdom."
The program was first staged at New York's Carnegie Hall in June, and will make its Hawaii premiere in the Blaisdell Concert Hall tomorrow night.
One of the ironies about the show is that Ching never expected to present it at home. He wrote and produced it as a one-time Carnegie Hall performance to show New Yorkers that "hula is definitely worthy of being on a world stage and can fulfill the entertainment value expected on a world stage while still culturally intact.
ON STAGE
What: "Ho'oulu I Ka Na'auao -- To Grow in Wisdom"
"We thought it was a one-time performance but the response to it helped it take on a life of its own. We were supposed to rest after June. Now we're going to rest after Saturday night!"
Ching begins his overview of Hawaiian history with the creation of the universe and continues through the development of traditional Hawaiian society, the political decline of the Hawaiian people after the islands were "discovered" by Captain Cook in 1778, and the evolution of Hawaiian culture during the two centuries that followed.
"Ho'oulu I Ka Na'auao" doesn't take sides regarding the conflicting definitions of sovereignty but expect frank comments on the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani in 1893.
"It's kind of redundant to say 'illegal overthrow' because there's no way that an overthrow can be legal but we do state that she was illegally overthrown," said Ching. "Your perspective on what happened during that time (and since) would color your thoughts on whether the overthrow was good, but in my opinion it is something that should not have happened."
As for sovereignty, Ching hopes the show will inspire all Hawaiians to get involved in the discussion and work for whatever version fits their desires.
"This is our way of being political and using our talents to make a political statement as well as an educational and cultural statement. We'd like (the show) to stimulate the people to think about it because it's a very important issue facing people today.
"All Hawaiians need to think about it and make a decision of what it is that they'd like to see come out of it.
"We strive to grow in wisdom, to grow in understanding of our culture, to learn more about everything and how we can apply it to in our daily lives," Ching said. "We've also taken on the responsibility of helping to educate other people who don't know about us and our culture because through education comes understanding and through understanding comes the ability to work together."
And he's addressing more than political issues, showing the evolution of Hawaiian mele beginning with pre-Captain Cook chants.
"You'll see how things change as we become introduced to western music (and) western harmonies, how the style of chanting changed (and) the style of writing mele changed to verses with even measures.
"We also talk about Hollywood and its influence on the hula. How they helped set this image that Hawaii has of being this mystical paradise -- sometimes a false glamorized image -- and then the impact of tourism."
He adds that staging the show here raises a different set of issues for him as a producer/director who is now addressing a hometown audience.
"In New York it was, 'Will they understand? Will it be offensive?' Would it be offensive to a mainland audience that there are people who want to break away from the United States, or (my feelings about) the influence of the missionaries and the impact that they had.
"Here (the worry is) 'Will it be too basic?' 'Hawaiian History 101?' People here are more familiar with the story and so I'm really nervous about how it's going to go over. But then again, there are many people here who not aware of everything that happened."
Ching's concerns proved unfounded in New York. "Ho'oulu I A Na'auao" was such a hit that he is now looking for corporate funding to take 102 dancers and all the multimedia gear to Kennedy Center and other prestigious mainland venues.
"It's something that I really would like to do, but with a show like this and a cast this size, the bottom line is money. The expense is tremendous but I think it helps to shatter some of the perceptions about hula and helps open the eyes of people that there is so much more to the culture that is not known.
"We always like our shows to be educational and I think it gives a good story line as to where we've come from, where we are today, and where we'd like to go in the future."
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