WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula cover

Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula

Chapter 2: PREFATORY NOTE
By Nathaniel Bright Emerson
Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Archaeology & AnthropologyMusicPoetryReligion/Spirituality

About This Book

A curated anthology of traditional Hawaiian mele and hula chants presented with translations, musical transcriptions, illustrations, and explanatory annotations. Descriptive essays examine the hula’s ritual origins, organizational roles, ceremonial procedures, costumes, gestures, and musical instruments, and survey many named dance types and their performance contexts. Notes and a glossary clarify Hawaiian vocabulary and cultural references, while annotated renderings attempt to retain lyrical tone alongside contextual explanation, offering readers an integrated view of the songs’ themes, ceremonial functions, and expressive techniques.

PREFATORY NOTE

Previous to the year 1906 the researches of the Bureau were restricted to the American Indians, but by act of Congress approved June 30 of that year the scope of its operations was extended to include the natives of the Hawaiian islands. Funds were not specifically provided, however, for prosecuting investigations among these people, and in the absence of an appropriation for this purpose it was considered inadvisable to restrict the systematic investigations among the Indian tribes in order that the new field might be entered. Fortunately the publication of valuable data pertaining to Hawaii is already provided for, and the present memoir by Doctor Emerson is the first of the Bureau’s Hawaiian series. It is expected that this Bulletin will be followed shortly by one comprising an extended list of works relating to Hawaii, compiled by Prof. H.M. Ballou and Dr. Cyrus Thomas.

W.H. HOLMES,
Chief.

[Page 4] [Blank]