XXTX.— THE 1 1 TLA KOLANI 



For the purpose of this book the rating of any variety of hula must 

 depend not so much on tlie grace and rliythm of its action on the 

 stage as on the imaginative power and dignity of its poetry. Judged 

 in this way, the holani is one of the most interesting and important 

 of the huhis. Its performance seems to have made no attempt at 

 sensationalism, yet it was marked by a peculiar elegance. This nnist 

 have been due in a measure to the fact that only adepts — ololie — 

 those of the most finished skill in the art of hula, took part in its 

 presentation. It was a hula of gentle, gracious action, acted and sung 

 while the performers kept a sitting position, and was without instru- 

 mental accompaniment. The fact that this hula was among the num- 

 ber chosen for presentation before the king ( Kamehameha III) while 

 on a tour of Oahu in the year 1846 or 1847 is emphatic testimony as 

 to the esteem in which it was held by the Hawaiians themselves. 



The mele that accompanied this hula when performed for the 

 king's entertainment at Waimanalo "was the following: 



He II a la, lie ua, 



He ua pi'i mai ; 



Xoe-noe halaii, 



Halaii loa o Lono. 

 5 () lono oe; 



Pa-a-a na pali 



I ka liana a Iknwa — 



I'olia ko-ele-ele. 



A Welehii ka malaiua, 

 10 Xoho i Makairi : 



Li'i-li'i ka hniin. 



Ala a e'e-n, 



He en ia no ka la hiki. 



Hiki niai ka Lani, 

 15 Nauwenwe ka honua. 



Ka liana a ke ola'i nni : 



JMoe pono ole ko'n po — 



Na nilio ai kalakala, 



Ka liana a ka Niuhi 

 20 A man i ke kai loa. 



He loa o ka hiki'na. 



A na noa, a na noa. 



216 



