Hula competitors avoid iconic flower because of fungus
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A blossom of an ohia lehua tree. The red and yellow blossoms that normally adorn hair and hands of dancers during the world’s most prestigious hula competition will be missing during this year’s contest.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Members of Halau Hiiakainamakalehua practice in Honolulu for the upcoming Merrie Monarch Festival, which is the world’s most prestigious hula competition. Thegroup is among the competitors heeding calls to avoid using ohia blossoms at this year’s competition because of a fungus that’s killing the trees that grow them.
In years past, hula students would make pilgrimages into ohia forests on Hawaii’s Big Island to gather blossoms and leaves from the trees to adorn dancers’ lei, hair, hands and feet for the world’s most prestigious hula competition.
They would also pay respects to Laka, the goddess of hula, and seek inspiration.
But at this year’s upcoming Merrie Monarch Festival, the red and yellow blossoms that normally adorn dancers will be missing.
That’s because many competitors are heeding calls to avoid the flowers so they don’t spread a fungus that’s killing the tress that grow them. Scientists are worried what’s known as rapid ohia death will wipe out the backbone of Hawaii’s native forests and watersheds — the islands’ source of fresh water.
“It doesn’t grow anywhere else in world,” said Sam Ohu Gon III, senior scientist and cultural adviser for the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. “If it goes extinct here, that’s it globally. It’s gone.”
For now, the disease is only on the Big Island. But with thousands of people descending upon the usually sleepy Big Island town of Hilo for the festival that starts March 27, some fear people could unintentionally spread the fungus to other islands.
People going into the forests to harvest the blossoms and leaves could spread the disease through sticky spores of the fungus that can travel on vehicles, tools and shoes.
Scientists don’t want to tell festival organizers and participants what to do about an important cultural practice. The flowers are said to be Laka’s physical representation and an important symbol of hula.
“We’re all mainland haoles,” said J.B. Friday, University of Hawaii forester, using a word meaning white person to refer to the three scientists leading the effort to battle the disease. “We’re not going to tell Hawaiians what to do.”
And so members of a rapid ohia death working group set out to conduct outreach in an effort to educate about the disease, while being sensitive to the flower’s iconic presence at the festival.
Competitors spend all year or longer planning their moves and selecting the foliage that will help tell the story of the mele, or song. “Often restrictions on cultural actions are looked at as oppression,” Gon said.
Many participants have been receptive to avoiding ohia lehua, an unprecedented move in the festival’s 53-year history.
One group, Halau Hiiakainamakalehua, of Honolulu, won’t be using any ohia — or anything that comes from the forests.
“For me, the competition is less important than losing one of our biggest hula resources,” said one of the group’s leaders, Robert Kaupu. “We’re trying to send a message: don’t go in the forest now.”
Maui’s Pukalani Hula Hale has been preparing for two years to make a festival comeback after a 13-year absence.
The group’s soloist will wear ohia lehua in her lei when she performs a kahiko —the most ancient form of hula — to vie for the title of Miss Aloha Hula. But the blossoms will come from Maui, where the disease hasn’t been found.
“We would always use from our island,” said the group’s leader Hiilei Maxwell-Jean.
Some participants say that everyone should refrain from using it, regardless of where it’s gathered from.
“In solidarity, we should all show our togetherness in showing that we understand what’s going on,” said Kamaka Kukona, of Maui’s Halau O Ka Hanu Lehua. “Right now safety is taking precedence over our decorative purposes.”
Organizers are leaving it up to the groups to decide whether or not to use ohia, said festival director Luana Kawelu.
Because participants must submit their lists of adornments well in advance, judges are being instructed not to penalize groups that substitute ohia, she said.
“That floored me when I learned that,” said Christy Martin, of the university’s Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species.
Such an extraordinary allowance gives her hope their outreach worked. “It really made me understand that these kumu are true leaders,” she said, using the Hawaiian word for teacher. “They’re taking this issue seriously.”
Hawaiians have long depended on ohia cosmologically, artistically and medicinally, said Kalena Silva, a professor of Hawaiian studies at the university’s Hilo campus.
Silva suggested observing a period of prohibition, noting that there have been periods when fishing in certain areas was prohibited to allow for the replenishment of stocks. Silva said it’s worth a halt to its use for such a precious cultural symbol.
“To me, it feels like we’re about to lose a member of the family,” he said. “We’re keenly aware of the fragility of our ohia forests now.”
16 responses to “Hula competitors avoid iconic flower because of fungus”
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Why does the picture show the flower on Kauai?
The word haole means foreigner not “white”. While this word is often used in reference to Caucasians the correct term would probably be Malihini or visitor. The word haole was around long before Western contact. Ilikea would also be a term to describe a white person.
Like the coqui frog this disease was introduced by bringing in invasive plants for landscaping. Similarly, there is an Australian fern being used for landscaping in place of hapu’u ferns because it grows faster but it is very invasive and deadly to native plants. We need to do better job of monitoring what is brought in to these islands.
“Eradication” You are absolutely correct! Additionally, since the intrusions of DuPont, Syngenta, Monsanto, Nestle, et al playing around with their alleged “Pesticides”, “Fertilizers”, and “Frakenfoods” Hawaii has been plagued with new fungus, illnesses, birth defects, and flora diseases which are unnatural, evasive, and destructive. As long as “Politicians”, State Officials, and County Officials continue to ignore these realities and personally receive “Bribes” from these Zionist companies–Hawaii will continue to see mass destruction of it’s indigenous flora and fauna. We have lost so many species, yet we continue to turn our heads away from these realities. Plain and simple–it’s “unnatural”…
It is so sad seeing these beautiful trees being destroyed, and nothing seems to stop it.
Only YOU can “stop it”…
Here is a link about efforts to save the Ohia:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-news/fight-for-the-forest/
Consider making a donation to Ohia Love to save seed and continue studies to save other endangered plants.
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/lyonarboretum/research/conservation/hrpp/seed-conservation-laboratory-hawaiian-rare-plant-program/
Since Hawaii doesn’t care about science, why don’t we all pray to the ancient gods to save the ohia?
When Captain Cook landed in these “magnificent Hawaiian Islands”, the trend toward TheTrain began. With Cook, all the disease and pestilence came. Then El Niño, then Norm Chow and finally yours truly, Jonathan Patrick. My name is not Jonathan Patrick. Jonathan is my favorite pet of all time, as shown on the photo that accompanies my Twitter handle, @SuperBowlLii, which I selected in 2010. Obviously someone had selected SuperBowl, so I kept on trying, and next year my dream will come true, as Super Bowl LII will be played in Minnesota, the home of the Vikings. You may notice that my pet Love Bird, as shown as a “Bird in Hand”, is lying motionless in my hand. Normally birds do not do that or allow themselves to be so vulnerable. The reason Jonathan allowed me to have it rest on the palm of my hand, with me taking a photo of it with my other hand operating a digital camera, is a very long story, which I shall divulge in due time, or upon popular demand, as allie has mentioned.
If the Hula Dancers are concerned about the “Ohia Fungus”….and maybe our “little friends,(Fire Ants). Wouldn’t it make sense to soak those flowers in (diluted) 35% “Vegetable Peroxide” ,before adorning them???
It’s an excellent disinfectant and would prolong the life for the Ohia flower.ie;To avoid Spoilage:Grocers use this product to extend life with vegetable,fruits.
It might be a good strategy to combat the Ohia fungus. I know it kill Kills mildew and adds O2 to the plants(which they love)! So…. Where’s our Botanist friends…Some feed back please. IMUA!
What’s the exact labeling of this product? bottle size? Price? Which store has it? Be more specific.
Just as Stated or Hydrogen Peroxide 35%. Be CAREFUL in diluting, very Strong Oxidizer! A 16.oz or 1 pint bottle costs about 25 to 30 dollars.It is expensive! Most Health/Natural food Stores carry this product.Other uses includes : Oxygen Therapy baths and also used in place of Chlorine,when treating Catchment systems…
Oh forgot! The 35% Peroxide, needs to be diluted (w/water) to 5%. DO NOT USE FULL STRENGTH!
The problem would be the contamination we would bring out of the forest…on our clothing, shoes, collected materials etc. Sometimes the trees are infected and it doesn’t show any signs, so we may think it’s a healthy tree that we’re collecting specimens from.
Say Bye to the Ohio forest. #TakeBackHawaii #Kaaihue4Mayor #IAmKaaihue #ImpeachIge