Hula & the Language of Flowers
On Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, February 14th, the Friends of the Hampstead Public Library presented dancer and teacher Nancy Griffin, talking about the hula and its relationship to the language of flowers. She explained how the blooms and plants of Hawaii are imbued with meaning and how some plants are believed to be the embodiment of ancient Hawaiian gods and goddesses.
Ms. Griffin has been studying and exploring the culture and history of Polynesia for over 25 years. She is experienced in the ancient and modern dances, crafts, mythology, lore and costuming of Hawaii and Polynesia. She has studied with an impressive list of "kumu hula”, experts in the traditional hula. She is co-director of the Hul ‘O Aloha dance troupe and has performed widely in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In addition she teaches Hawaiian hula and Tahitian and Maori dance at her home studio, "Paradise in the Palms” in Kingston, NH.
To see more photographs from this performance: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40521557@N07/sets/72157629330696451/
