Hula Terminology
'a'ole maopopo ia'u
I don't understand
maopopo ia'u
I understand
oli
a chant that is not danced to
kūpe'e
adornments worn on the wrist and ankles
hanahou
again, repeat
'ai ha'a
any hula step danced with bended knees
pā'ū hula
any kind of dance skirt
mahope
backward
mele hula
chant for dancing
mele ka'i
chant or song sung while dancers enter
mele ka'i
chant or song sung while dancers exit
mea oli
chanter of oli
ho'opa'a
chanter, drummer
mai
come
pololei
correct, right, straight, accurate
'ōlapa
dancer
ilalo
down
hula ka'i
entrance dance
hula ka'i ho'i
exit dance
imua
forward, front
'okina
glottal step
ho'i
go
maika'i
good, fine, well
po'opua'a
head pupil in a hula school
kaona
hidden meaning in Hawaiian poetry
kīkala
hips
popo
hips/buttocks
alaka'i hula
hula leader, assistant
hālau hula
hula school
kumu hula
hula teacher
hema
left
lei po'o
lei worn on the head
malo
male loincloth
hula 'auana, hula ku'i
modern hula or hula accompanied with music
ne'e
move
inoa
name
'a'ole
no
ho'oma'ama'a
practice
'ākau
right
'ao'ao
side
loea
skill, expert, knowledge of skill
mele
song, chant of any kind, poem, suitable for dancing
haumana
student
ho'omākaukau, mākaukau
to be prepared
ho'omaka
to begin
kāhea
to call, cry out
ho'olohe
to hear, obey
hula kahiko, hula 'ōlapa
traditional or ancient hula
huli
turn
hula 'āla'apapa
type of ancient dramatic hula accompanied by an ipu (heke)
iluna
up
kahakō
vowel stress
hewa
wrong, mistake, error, guilt, incorrect
'ae
yes