La Iwa o Kalikimaka (Ninth Day of Christmas)

citypictures.org

On the Ninth Day of Christmas my Tutu gave to me ...

... nine ladies dancing hula.

hawaiiforvisitors.com

From Quazen,

Hula is is recognized as a major part of Hawaii: After all, what’s a luau without a hula dancer? The hula was a way for the ancient Hawaiian people to tell their stories and have those stories passed down from generation to generation without writing them down.

Hula is a form of expression, the telling of a story through hand gestures. It involves your entire body from your eyes to your feet. Every movement your hands make is the meaning of a word or phrase.

Hula kahiko, or the ancient hula, is accompanied by a chant and ipu, drums and other instruments to keep the beat.  Hula auwana, or the modern hula, is accompanied by music.

Both styles of hula use the same basic foot steps – kaholo (2 steps to one side), ami (round circular motion of the hips), uwehi (lifting one foot then coming up on the balls of both feet), kawelu (pivoting motion), oniu (figure 8 motion) and lele (walking motion). Hand motions interpret the words of the chant or song and can vary by teacher or school.  The dancer’s eyes always follow their hands.

Can you imagine Regency ladies dancing hula?  And they thought the Waltz was scandalous!  But I think Lady Jersey and the other patronesses would actually enjoy the opportunity to swing their hips.

In honor of the hula, I am giving away 9 historicals from a time period when dancing, like hula, was considered sacred to society:

Emily Bryan's Distracting the Duchess

 

Robyn DeHart's Seduce Me

Eileen Dryer's Barely A Lady

Suzanne Enoch's A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior

Cheryl Holt's My True Love

Laura Kinsale's Uncertain Magic

Donna MacMeans' The Trouble with Moonlight

Courtney Milan's Proof by Seduction

Julia Quinn's What Happens in London

To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your favorite dance and dancer.  

2. For the duration of the "12 Days of Christmas", comments for all posts will be open through January 6. I will randomly draw winners for each day's prize(s) on January 7.

For Days 5 - 11, I will contact the winners and ask them to list their top three preferences from the books being offered as the giveaway. I will assign books based on preferences received on a first come, first serve basis.

Prizes will be mailed NLT January 10.

3. The "12 Days of Christmas" is only open to US residents. However, I will mail a special Hawaiian treat to any international reader who sends their mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com.

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!
Happy New Year!

Kim in Hawaii

Almack's Assembly Rooms served as a social club to England's elite from 1765 to 1871.  It is a staple of historical romances during the Regency period, 1811-1820.  In 1820, the Prince Regent ascended to the throne upon the death of his mad father, King George III.  With Napoleon in exile and a new king on the throne, England continued to make merry, unaware of the coming - the Victorian Era and Industrial Revolution.

Meanwhile, on the Island of Hawaii, Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea was born in 1758.   First known as Pai'ea, he would demonstrate his strength as a warrior to conquer six other islands and negotiate peace with the 7th to create the Kingdom of Hawaii.   King Kamehameha's feat came at a price.  During the Regency Period, as English explorers, traders, and missionaries flooded the Hawaiian islands, they brought:

- western weapons, which promoted King Kamehameha's campaign to unite the islands
- western education, in fact, missionaries helped the Hawaiians create their own language
- western ideals, whereas the missionaries were shocked by the hula.

Upon King Kamehameha's death in 1819, his son abolished the old religion and enabled Western "advisers" to promote their own campaign to buy land and convert Hawaiians to Christianity.  The Hawaiian upper class, who might attend an Almack's equivalent in Honolulu, basked in the new wealth and comforts.  But ultimately the western influence would lead the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.

American business posted the Stars and Stripes when
Hawaii is annexed by the US President
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