Aloha mai kakou! (for Everyone）
(通常の活動内容は、Instagram、Facebookをご覧ください。）
Thank you for visiting our Hālau website. In this Hālau, we learn the Hawaiian language and the nature of Hawaii mainly through Hula (Hawaiian word for “dance”). While sharing time together, we go beyond the realm of learning to cultivate respect for nature, consideration for others, and a desire to help one another.
What do you imagine when you hear the word “hula”?
In Hawaii, hula is a Shinto ritual, so it is a source of pride and honor to be in an environment where hula can be practiced. However, it is not always easy to explain what the hula is to those around you, whether in Japan or in Hawaii. It is easy to imagine hula from appearance and feeling.
Hawaii’s tourism industry flourished as a recreation area for the mainland U.S., and this led to a boom in Hawaiian culture in Japan. Because of the strong image of the hula created for tourism, it was difficult for people around me to understand what the hula, a traditional art form, was, and still is, about. Just as “Samurai” are often presented in a comical manner when introduced abroad, “Hula” tends to be presented as a special dance when introduced outside of Hawaii. This is not a mistake, but it is not the correct way to introduce the hula.
I had always loved going to Hawaii as a tourist traveler, but when I met the hula and faced the hula, I learned the history of Hawaii, learned the Hawaiian language, learned the mythology, learned the unique culture and knowledge of Hawaii. This is so much more than a lesson, it is the tradition itself, and it is something so much greater than I can describe in one word.
I have been away from hula for a while after the passing of Kumu Charles Kaupu, who I studied under until 2011.
However, after he passed away, I found out that Kumu was planning to give me ‘Uniki around 2012, which brought me back into the hula world.
In other words, what I have to face is the responsibility to hand down to the next generation the traditional performing arts that have been handed down and passed down from ancient times, and to pass on the knowledge I have acquired up to now to future generations.
We often hear the saying that hula is aloha (love), but love alone does not make a hula. What lies deeper is “responsibility. In Hawaiian, it is called kuleana.
Passing on culture should not be a lax thing. Passing on the hula accurately to the next generation is what it means to pass it on. There is a difference between “doing the hula” and “passing on the hula.
If you are interested in learning about Hawaii in an authentic way, or if you would like to feel the hula in an authentic way, we highly recommend that you get in touch with the hula. There are many people who would like to try hula but are not comfortable with the idea. So, we recommend that you first try the trial hula lessons offered at various hula schools. I am sure you will find a place that suits you.
If that place is here in Harlau, we will be very happy.
In addition, I will be in charge of teaching all of the lessons at our hurrah. There are no instructors. There are no sister schools or branch schools.
Usually, only one or two people are available to teach at Harlau. The idea is that anyone I do not teach directly is, of course, not my student.
Some harlots have their own circles or harlots, but that is their choice. As long as that my haumana can responsibly teach their own students, that is fine. In that case, there is no siphoning off of lesson fees from the hurrah or circle, nor is there any kind of top-up fee.
For those who wish to take lessons and live far away, we will use both Skype or LINE video lessons and direct instruction.
Kumu Hula Hiro Sekine
D., Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba. D. in Human Care Science. Member of the Oceania Society of Japan. She was appointed to the Big Island of Hawaii as a medical instructor at “The Hawaiian Islands School of Massage,” a school corporation that teaches traditional Hawaiian massage (Lomilomi), and started the “100 Year Project,” an art activity to preserve nature and culture for future generations. In 2007, his photo art was adopted by the Big Island Convention and Visitors Bureau as promotional art for the Big Island of Hawaii. In the same year, he received the Special Jury Prize of the Bungeisha Publishing Culture Award.
She translated the Hawaiian CD “Songs of Aloha” (Avex Trax) released in 2008 into Hawaiian and English.
In 2011, she served as a reporter for the TV program “Falling in Love with Hawaii” (BS12 TwellV) for one year, introducing the nature and history of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Enrolled in a Hawaii Island hurrah; Founded Hālau Keawahou with umu Hula Charles Kauhi Ka’upu Jr. in Maui. She was the last Alaka’i of the Kumu Hula until her death in July 2011. In 2012, she resumed her activities as Kumu Hula, presiding over Kalāokumukahi, and began supporting hālau throughout Japan.
In July 2012, he translated and published the best-selling book, “The Story of Hawaii’s History That Few Know.
Appears on FM Nishinomiya (Sakura FM) on the 1st Wednesday of the month on “Sakutto La La La”.
As for his musical activities, he formed a Hawaiian unit, Hiliu.
CD debut in December 2019 with Be Still My Heart. Selected as a finalist for the 43rd Annual Nahkohkoo Hanohano Awards.
Second album, We Are In Love, released in December 2020.
Global Music Award, Silver Medal (2021)
Global Film Festival Awards, Honorable Mention Best Music Video (2021)
Los Angeles Film Awards, Quarter-Finalist (2021)
International New York Film Festival (2021)
Austria International Film Festival (2021)
Released third album Ku’u One Hanau in December 2021. Selected as a finalist for the 45th Nahko Ku’u Hanohano Awards.
2022年12月4枚目アルバム Hawaiian Heritage リリース。第46回 ナーホークー ハノハノアワード ファイナリストに選ばれる。
As an ipuheke maker and lei maker, she holds workshops in Hawaii and Japan. He has made more than 400 ipuheke.
Since 2014, Ipuheke and Ipu have been used as prizes for winners of hula competitions in Hawaii and Japan, and many Hawaiian and Japanese kumu hula (Hokulani Holt, Chinki Mahoe, Sunny Chin, Twila Mendez, Hi’ilei Maxwell, and others) use Ipuheke as a favorite.
Ameba Blog https://ameblo.jp/kumuhiro
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiro.sekine.kumuhula
For more information about Hiro-sensei’s lessons and his thoughts on hula, please visit his publicly available Ameba Blog https://ameblo.jp/kumuhiro
