Lilo And Stitch: The Hawaiian Culture Of The South Pacific

I chose the Hawaiian culture of the South Pacific. I chose this culture because of my love for the movie Lilo and Stitch which hula dance plays a big part of the film. When I read the South Pacific section of the chapter I knew I wanted to do the Hawaiian culture. The dance of this culture is known as hula that started as a spiritual worship. Their worship dance was to please their goddess of the volcano named Pele. The hula often involved chanting and nudity which bothered colonists. Colonists affected this culture by incorporating straw hula skirts as way to make them more modest. In the present day their dances are not as sacred or for worship and considered “hapehaole” or half-white. The people of this culture dance for tourist as entertainment but have evolved the dance into the modern type and by acknowledging their traditional dance

The origins of hula are actually believed to be from stories of Pele and her family. Hula incorporates chanting and dancing. Hula dance “Not only was it done to honor the goddess, it was the Hawaiian record of history. It was believed that changing the dance would change history. Now, schools for hula exist and the history and meanings of the movement are considered sacred, but it is also meant to be enjoyed.” (Hula Dancing Culture). Dance and rituals were very important in their beliefs and everyday life. The dance is no longer as serious but still important. The reason the dance is still being practiced is for tourism and that is one way that they are keeping the culture