Читать книгу Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula - Nathaniel Bright Emerson - Страница 41

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The costume of the hula dancer was much the same for both sexes, its chief article a simple short skirt about the waist, the pa-ú. (PL I.)

When the time has come for a dance, the halau becomes one common dressing room. At a signal from the kumu the work begins. The putting on of each article of costume is accompanied by a special song.

First come the ku-pe'e, anklets of whale teeth, bone, shell-work, dog-teeth, fiber-stuffs, and what not. While all stoop in unison they chant the song of the anklet:

Mele Ku-pe'e

Aala kupukupu ⁸⁷ ka uka o Kane-hoa. ⁸⁸

E ho-a! ⁸⁹

Hoa na lima o ka makani, he Wai-kaloa. ⁹⁰

He Wai-kaloa ka makani anu Lihue.

5

Alina ⁹¹ lehua ï kau ka opua--

Ku'u pua,

Ku'u pua i'ini e ku-i a lei.

Ina ia oe ke lei 'a mai la.