Heart-based weekend with Madame Butterfly , part 1

Last weekend (seems like hundreds years ago already) Hula event with Raylene Ha'alelea Kawaiae'a (Ha'alelea means butterfly) and Hope Ilima Keawe happened in Prague. Yes, I am (again) thinking about moving to Hawaii. Not only me, many girls were deeply touched by the presence of Raylene, who's uncommon simplicity and warm-heart-being-ness created a space for beatiful connections with our-selves and with Raylene and Hope.

Hope Ilima Keawe, Kateřina, Raylene Ha'alelea Kawaiae'a

What we did?
We chanted, danced, shared and cried. Hawaiian chants are simple, yet powerful - please hear bellow.

The first chant "Oli Aloha" goes like this:

Akahai e na Hawai'i
(Be gentle Hawai'i)

Lokahi a ku like
(Stand in Unity)

'Olu'olu ka mana'o
(Let thy thoughts be kind)

Ha'aha'a kou kulana
(Let thy attitude be humble)

'Ahonui a lanakila
(Endure and be victorious)

Aloha e

Hawaiian way of singing/chanting is different from the way we use to sing in Europe (and other continents). Voice should be anchored down in the back part of the neck and vibrations are allowed to come out from the chest or belly together with the sound. When doing so, mouth doesn't need to be open so much, sound goes through very small cavity bettween lips. Song is being repeated 3 times, each time halftone higher. Melody is also unusual. When we tried to repeat individual verses, it sounded more or less as a weeping prayer in a Catholic church. After practicing several times we got some closer to the "original sounding" and closer to experiencing the meaning of its words: gentleness, unity, kindness, humbleness, endurance and Aloha.

While chanting, Raylene became the chant. In total humbleness and devotion she melted with that chant into one. So much to learn. Mahalo.

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More to come.