'Ancient Hula Hawaiian Style Volume I: Hula Kuahu'

Various artists
(HanaOla)

Before the arrival of the first haoles (non-Hawaiians) in 1778, Hawaiian music consisted almost entirely of percussion and chant. This anthology, produced and annotated by Amy Ku'uleialoha Stillman, presents some of the greatest chanters of the 20th century—Pua Haaheo, Lokalia Montgomery, 'Iolani Luahine, George Na'ope and Ka'upena Wong among them—performing as their predecessors would have done a century or more before them.

Stillman defines hula kuahu as “;hula whose sacredness required the presence of a kuahu altar at the halau (school).”; She goes on to explain why this term can include chants written in the 20th century as well as a mele ma'i (genital chant) written to honor the genitals of Kamehameha IV.

Stillman and executive producer Michael Cord have done a superb job. With 22 pages of Hawaiian lyrics, English translations and background information, this is a perfect introduction to pure traditionalist Hawaiian music.

www.cordinternational.com

”;Mele Mo Kamapua'a ['Au'a 'la]”;
”;Nani Kilauea”;
”;Talala A Hipa”;