Lucy Lee

Nā Kumu Hula Lucy Lee - Nānā I Nā Loea Hula Volume 2 Page 65

Lucy Lee opened her hālau in 1958 where she taught hula and other Polynesian dances until she retired in 1978. She is currently employed by the Hula Supply Center as the costuming consultant.

In a family of seven daughters, my mother said one of us had to learn hula. Nobody wanted to go so my mother said I was the one. I was about seven-years-old and I remember going to Tūtū Makaena in Kapahulu. Her daughter helped to teach because Tūtū Makaena’s vision was not one hundred percent perfect. Regardless of her handicap she knew exactly what we were doing. I only had kahiko lessons with her because my dad said that I could not learn hapa haole numbers until I was fourteen. I had many years with her and I remember graduating in the old St. Mark’s Building on Kapahulu Avenue.

I went on to Ruby Ahakuelo. A lot of people never heard of her but she was excellent. I danced with her for years. With Aunty Ruby it was important to be on time for the classes and she made sure that we knew what we were doing. When she felt that you were eligible, you would train to ʻūniki. I graduated in the old Civic Auditorium.

I was in my middle thirties when I went to Leilani Alania and I remained with her for four years. We didn’t learn much kahiko because she was more into ‘auana. She was well-known for her implement numbers. After two years with her I became her assistant. I taught the numbers that I had learned from her to the class assigned to me. I was inspired by Aunty Lei because she played her ‘ukulele as she taught hula and I decided when I opened my business that I would teach exactly the same way.

I got involved with Uncle Henry Pa because he was the hula teacher for the Kamehameha Civic Club. Uncle Henry Pa had a styling where his dancing was a little more sophisticated and a little naughty with the eyes. His motions were really peppy and he had a few of his own fancy little steps. We enjoyed him because he played his ‘ukulele and his singing was excellent.

I became a teacher because some of the parents encouraged me to teach and because of Aunty Lei’s inspiration. I did not teach hula kahiko because I felt that there were many good kahiko teachers like Aunty Kauʻi Zuttermeister, Aunty Māʻiki Aiu, Aunty Sally Wood, and the Kaleiki Sisters. They were all super so I concentrated on New Zealand dancing, Tahitian dancing, and my ‘auana.

I felt that I needed to become familiar with the Hawaiian songs and to know the meanings. Aunty Alice Keawekāne Garner was my musician and really helped me with the meanings. She would explain the whole song to me. Another person who was very instrumental in telling me what the songs were all about was Aunty Genoa Keawe.

Aunty Genoa was the one who hustled business for me. While singing in a Kaimukī restaurant, she would call me to come up. She would say to the audience, “I want you people to know that there is a young teacher in here and she is starting to teach. She is very good so that’s why I had her come with her students to show her teaching ability. She’s going to be our dancer for the night.”

When I learned hula, I was always told that whatever your teacher teaches you is correct regardless of what the next student tells you. There are big changes in the hula because there are a lot of steps. But you cannot condemn the teacher because that’s her thought, her mana'o, and that’s what makes her happy.

My advice to the new kumu hula is to learn your language and get a good advisor so you have one person to go to. There are many people who are willing to help and share their knowledge. Be positive in what you are teaching.

Hula has brought me the greatest friends who I adore and worship today. It makes me feel so good because they recognize what I did for them and they respect and love me.