Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula

"Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula" by Nathaniel B. Emerson is a piece of writing that looks at the important role the hula and its special songs played in old Hawaiian culture during the early 1900s. The book translates and gives information about the hula, showing how much it affected the feelings and ways of life of Hawaiians long ago. It starts by explaining that hula was a key part of how Hawaiians showed their culture, mixing poems, music, and dance to share their feelings and stories. Emerson makes it clear that hula wasn't just for fun, it was also a serious ritual with deep religious meaning and a way for people to remember their history together. He explains what makes hula special, like the connection between the dancers, the spiritual side of the performance, and how songs tell stories, pointing out that it was more than just a show, it was a way to show who they were and what their traditions meant to them.