30 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 38 



the people and to the sway that artistic ideals held over their minds, 

 but, above all, to a peculiar system of discipline wisely adapted to the 

 necessities of human nature. It does not seem likely that a Thespian 

 band of our own race would have held their passions under equal 

 check if surrounded by the same temptations and given the same op- 

 portunities as these Polynesians. It may well be doubted if the bare 

 authority of the kumu would have sufficed to maintain discipline and 

 to keep order, had it not been reenforced by the dread powers of the 

 spirit world in the shape of the tahu. 



The awful grasp of this law, this repressive force, the tabu, held 

 fast the student from the moment of his entrance into the halau. It 

 denied this j^leasure, shut off that innocent indulgence, curtailed 

 liberty in this direction and in that. The tabu waved before his 

 imagination like a flaming sword, barring approach to the Eden of 

 his strongest propensity. 



The rules and discipline of the halau, the school for the hula, from 

 our point of view, were a mixture of shrewd common sense and whim- 

 sical superstition. Under the head of tabus certain articles of food 

 were denied; for instance, the sugar-cane — /I'o— was forbidden. The 

 reason assigned was that if one indulged in it his work as a practi- 

 tioner would amount to nothing; in the langiuige of the kumu, aohe 

 e ho ana hana man liana., his work will be a failure. The argument 

 turned on the double meaning of the word ko^ the first meaning being 

 sugar cane, the second, accomplishment. The Hawaiians were much 

 impressed by such whimsical nominalisms. Yet there is a backing of 

 good sense to the rule. Anyone who has chewed the sweet stalk can 

 testify that for some time thereafter his voice is rough, ill-fitted for 

 singing or el6cution. 



The strictest propriety and decorum were exacted of the pupils; 

 there must be no license whatever. Even married people during the 

 weeks preceding graduation must observe abstinence toward their 

 partners. The whole power of one's being must be devoted to the 

 pursuit of art. 



The rules demanded also the most punctilious personal cleanliness. 

 Above all things, one must avoid contact with a corpse. Such defile- 

 ment barred one from entrance to the halau until ceremonial cleansing 

 had been performed. The offender must bathe in the ocean; the 

 kumu then aspersed him with holy water, uttered a prayer, ordered a 

 penalty, an offering to the kuahu, and declared the offender clean. 

 This done, he was again received into fellowship at the halau. 



The ordinary penalty for a breach of ceremony or an offense 

 against sexual morality was the offering of a baked porkling with 

 awa. Since the introduction of money the penalty has generally 

 been reckoned on a commercial basis; a money fine is imposed. The 

 offering of pork and awa is retained as a concession to tradition. 



