The Hawaiian thought it not undignified to express sympathy (aloha-ino) with tears.
XXXVI.—THE HULA HOO-NA-NÁ
The hula hoo-na-ná—to quiet, amuse—was an informal dance, such as was performed without the usual restrictions of tabu that hedged about the set dances of the halau. The occasion of an outdoor festival, an ahaaina or luau, was made the opportunity for the exhibition of this dance. It seems to have been an expression of pure sportiveness and mirth-making, and was therefore performed without sacrifice or religious ceremony. While the king, chiefs, and aialo—courtiers who ate in the king’s presence—are sitting with the guests about the festal board, two or three dancers of graceful carriage make a circuit of the place, ambling, capering, gesturing as they go in time to the words of a gay song.
A performance of this sort was witnessed by the author’s informant in Honolulu many years ago; the occasion was the giving of a royal luau. There was no musical instrument, the performers were men, and the mele they cantillated went as follows:
A pili, a pili,
A pili ka’u manu
Ke kepau [485] o ka ulu-laau.
Poai a puni,
Noho ana i muli-wa’a; [486]