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How did the Hawaiian Renaissance help hula flourish as an art form?
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folk dance
Peasant Dance, oil on wood by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1568; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
The Hawaiian Renaissance, which began in the 1970s, served as a pivotal movement to counteract the long-standing effects of colonialism that had diminished and diluted Native Hawaiian culture.1
By fostering a renewed emphasis on the instruction and practice of traditional customs, the movement catalyzed a resurgence of interest in key cultural elements, with the hula standing at the center of this revival. This cultural awakening encouraged the preservation and active performance of both contemporary hula āauana and the traditional, chant-accompanied hula kahiko, ensuring that these vital artistic expressions remained a vibrant part of modern life in the islands.12