Hawaiian Musical Instruments

Why This Matters

Hawaiian musical instruments are far more than tools for making sound—they represent the living connection between Hawaiian people, their natural environment, and their spiritual practices. When you study these instruments, you're being tested on your understanding of how material culture, oral tradition, and ceremonial practice intertwine in Hawaiian society. Each instrument tells a story about resource use, artistic innovation, and the preservation of cultural identity across generations.

Don't just memorize instrument names and what they're made of. Know why certain materials were chosen, how each instrument functions within hula and chant traditions, and what role natural resources play in Hawaiian artistic expression. The real exam questions will ask you to connect instruments to broader themes of cultural sustainability, the sacred-secular spectrum, and the adaptation of foreign influences into Hawaiian identity.

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Percussion Instruments: The Heartbeat of Hula

Percussion forms the rhythmic foundation of Hawaiian music and hula. These instruments don't just keep time—they communicate with dancers, signal transitions in chants, and connect performers to ancestral traditions. Understanding the hierarchy of drums and rhythm instruments reveals how Hawaiians structured their ceremonial and artistic practices.

Pahu (Sharkskin Drum)

• Sacred ceremonial drum—traditionally reserved for religious contexts and hula pahu, the most formal style of hula
• Constructed from a hollowed kōkio or coconut tree trunk covered with sharkskin, representing the union of land and sea resources
• Produces deep, resonant tones that carry spiritual authority; its sound was believed to call upon the gods

Ipu (Gourd Drum)

• Versatile gourd instrument used in both sacred and secular hula performances
• Two forms exist: the single ipu heke ʻole and the double-gourd ipu heke, which produces a fuller, more complex sound
• Played by striking the gourd against a padded surface and slapping with the palm, allowing dancers to accompany themselves

Pūʻili (Split Bamboo Sticks)

• Feathered bamboo instruments split at one end to create a rustling, shimmering sound when shaken or struck
• Used in pairs by hula dancers to accentuate arm movements and add visual texture to performances
• Represents the practical use of bamboo—an abundant natural resource transformed into artistic expression

Kālaʻau (Rhythm Sticks)

• Simple hardwood sticks struck together to maintain tempo and punctuate dance movements
• Often made from native woods like kauila or ʻōhiʻa, connecting the instrument to specific island ecosystems
• Demonstrates that complexity isn't required for cultural significance—simplicity serves function

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Natural Material Rattles and Clappers

These instruments showcase Hawaiian ingenuity in transforming raw natural materials into sophisticated musical tools. Each represents a different approach to creating rhythm through shaking, striking, or clicking—and each connects performers to the land and sea.

ʻUlīʻulī (Feathered Gourd Rattle)

• Gourd filled with aliʻipoe seeds or small pebbles, topped with colorful feathers for visual impact
• Shaken in circular motions during hula to create sustained rhythmic texture
• Feathers traditionally came from native birds, linking the instrument to Hawaiian ecological knowledge and conservation practices

ʻIliʻili (Stone Castanets)

• Smooth, water-worn lava stones held two in each hand and clicked together rhythmically
• Collected from specific beaches where wave action created the ideal flat, oval shape
• Produces a sharp, bright sound that cuts through other instruments; represents the literal use of the ʻāina (land) in music-making

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Wind Instruments: Breath as Connection

Wind instruments in Hawaiian tradition carry special significance because breath (hā) represents life force and spiritual essence. Playing these instruments requires intimate physical engagement, making them deeply personal forms of expression.

ʻOhe Hano Ihu (Nose Flute)

• Played exclusively through the nose, as the mouth was considered less pure for making sacred sounds
• Traditionally used for courtship and personal expression—the breath from one's nose was thought to carry the soul
• Made from a single piece of bamboo with carefully placed finger holes; requires significant breath control and practice

Kāʻekeʻeke (Bamboo Pipes)

• Stamping tubes of varying lengths that produce different pitches when struck vertically against a hard surface
• Often played in ensembles with each performer responsible for one or two pitches, creating collaborative melodies
• Demonstrates Hawaiian understanding of acoustics—tube length determines pitch, a principle shared across Pacific Island cultures

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String Instruments: Adaptation and Innovation

String instruments represent Hawaiian culture's remarkable ability to adopt foreign technologies and transform them into distinctly Hawaiian art forms. These instruments tell the story of cultural contact, adaptation, and the creation of new traditions.

Ukulele

• Adapted from the Portuguese braguinha and rajão, brought by immigrant laborers in the 1870s-1880s
• Name means "jumping flea" (ʻuku = flea, lele = jumping), possibly describing the rapid finger movements of skilled players
• Became a global symbol of Hawaiian identity by the early 20th century; demonstrates how Hawaiians claimed and redefined an introduced instrument

Kīkā Kī Hōʻalu (Slack-Key Guitar)

• Unique Hawaiian tuning system where strings are "slacked" to create open chords, allowing bass, melody, and rhythm simultaneously
• Developed after Spanish and Mexican cowboys (paniolo) introduced guitars in the 1830s; Hawaiians created entirely new playing techniques
• Tunings were traditionally family secrets passed down through generations, representing intellectual property within ʻohana (family) structures

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Quick Reference Table

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Self-Check Questions

1. Which two instruments demonstrate the Hawaiian practice of transforming introduced technologies into distinctly Hawaiian art forms? What makes each adaptation unique?

2. Compare the cultural significance of the pahu and the ipu. Why might the pahu have been restricted to certain contexts while the ipu was more widely used?

3. Identify three instruments that showcase Hawaiian use of bamboo. What does this reliance on bamboo reveal about the relationship between Hawaiian music and the natural environment?

4. The ʻohe hano ihu is played through the nose rather than the mouth. Explain the cultural reasoning behind this practice and what it reveals about Hawaiian concepts of breath and spirituality.

5. If you were asked to explain how Hawaiian musical instruments reflect both cultural continuity and cultural adaptation, which instruments would you use as evidence for each concept? Defend your choices.