Images from The Beede Gallery

NMM 1806. Gourd rattle (‘uli‘uli), Hawaii, mid-20th century. Calabash gourd, filled with seeds, decorated with red-and-yellow feathers. Played by hula dancers, either by shaking or tapping against the body. In traditional hulas, only one ‘uli‘uli is played; however, in modern hulas, a dancer will play two. The traditional hulas, called hula kahiko, have been performed for centuries in Hawaii to honor the gods, to entertain the royal court, and to preserve orally transmitted narratives and genealogies. Modern hulas, called hula auana, are performed for a larger, global audience and have broadened to incorporate narratives about love and Hawaiian identity. Gift of Linda Hansen Solheim, Estherville, Iowa, 1977.

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