ニューヨーク・タイムズさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ニューヨーク・タイムズInstagram)「Hula is the heartbeat of Hawaii. And for 60 years, the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo has contributed to the reclamation of Hawaiian culture, language and identity. The annual post-Easter festival honors King David Kalakaua, known as the “Merrie Monarch” for his enjoyment of the arts. Today, the festival includes a parade and a traditional Hawaiian craft fair. However, it is best known for its hula competition, which draws some of the best hula schools, or “halau hula,” in the U.S. In the imagination of many mainland Americans, hula may mean coconut bras and cellophane skirts. It may conjure visions of a figurine jiggling her hips on a car dashboard or smiling serenely as she is used as a bottle opener. But hula is an ancient and often sacred dance, indigenous to Hawaii. Each performance is built around the narration of a particular song or chant, many of which have been passed down for generations. “This is hands down the best time to be in Hawaii and to be able to see that the Hawaiian people are thriving: in hula, in our culture, in our language, in our different traditional practices,” said Desiree Moana Cruz, 60, a judge of the floral floats in this year’s Royal Parade, held on the final day of the festival’s hula competition. Tap the link in our bio to read more about the Merrie Monarch Festival. Photos and video by @brendangeorgeko」5月21日 23時39分