Bokikumanomano O Kalaupapa (Hula 'Ilio - Dog Hula)

This mele is called - Bokikūmanomano O Kalaupapa. It speaks of a mythical dog that patrolled and protected Kalawao in Kalaupapa peninsula in ancient times. It is said that the Hawaiian dog in old Hawaiʻi did not bark. It did however, growl and howl. This mele shows the temperament of Bokikūmanomano when provoked!

The Kumu Hula is – Mr. Wilbert Edmond Keʻānuenue Kaʻimikaua – commonly known as John. His women wear a red pāʻū with blue draped festoons. The apron has a black petroglyph picture of a dog. Many of John’s costumes consist of aprons probably a costume technique he learned from his Kumu Hula, a 92 year old woman from Molokaʻi named “Kawahinekapuheleikapōkāne”. She taught John 156 chants from the island of Molokaʻi when john was a junior in High School. He found her while searching to find a particular ti leaf plant called “Kahuna Lau Kī” or “Kahuna Ti leaf”. It boarded her entire front yard in Aiea, Oʻahu. When he saw this he went to her front door to ask permission if he could cut cuttings for his Hawaiian plant garden. She consented, and when he went to her door to thank her after he was finished she invited him in to ask him if he was interested in the things of the old? She tutored him for about 3 years until he was a senior in High School. Before her death, she gave him her genealogical kumu hula line that went all the way back to Laʻilaʻi about 900 AD! Her line was one long solid unbroken chain of teachers. Wow! What an impressive pedigree!

This mele is the first and only Hula ʻῙlio (dog hula) I have ever seen! It was performed at the King Kamehameha Hula and Chant Competition in Laʻiē, Oʻahu at the George Q. Cannon Center.

Enjoy!

(Another video from my personal collection – By-the-way – I’m posting various clips because I don’t want to lose them because they’re fading VHS tapes).