A Hawaiian hula dancer in traditional costume
Hawaii is famous for its hula-dancing girls, but not many people know that hula dances are an ancient form of entertainment in Polynesia. Historically, the people of Hawaii danced different forms of hula since before Europeans discovered the Americas. One of the more ancient forms of hula is called "hula ki'i" and is danced with handmade marionettes of many shapes and sizes. The marionettes themselves are also referred to as "ki'i" and are manipulated by the dancers as they sing and chant.
Materials
Many ki'i were carved from locally available softwoods like kukui or wiliwili. Others were made from coconut or woven from grasses in the same style one would weave a basket. Clothing was typically made from tapa cloth dyed with natual materials. Decoration of the ki'i came in the form of mother of pearl inlays for eyes, and human, dog, and fish teeth for eyes and finger. Many ki'i were also given hair made from feathers or human hair attached to the head with tiny, hand-carved pegs.
Form
The forms of ki'i differed based on the character they were meant to represent, and how they appeared was purely down to the imagination of the person making them, based on the particulary story or chant that the ki'i would be used in. Many ki'i were odd and grotesque representations of Hawaiian gods and other mystical figures. Human ki'i were often males positioned in warlike or aggressive stances, although women often appeared in the stories as well.
Cultural Significance
The characters represented by ki'i marionettes were used to tell satirical stories that functioned as a form of social commentary. Ki'i dances were also performed as religious events at public festivals. The hula dancers who acted as puppeteers underwent strict training under a leader called a "kumu" in order to be able to successfully manipulate the ki'i marionettes while chanting and dancing the hula steps at the same time.
Ki'i Today
The most likely place to see authentic ki'i today is in museums or private collections, although some Hawaiians still make their own ki'i to use in modern hula. The British Museum in London, England boasts a late 18th or early 19th century ki'i in its Africa, Oceania and Americas collection. In Hawaii, the first floor of the Hawaiian Hall in the Bishop Museum on Honolulu is the most likely place to see original, handmade ki'i as it focuses on pre-contact Hawaiian culture and society.
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