The ula (dance) is an ancient Tongan group dance, already reported by early European navigators like Captain Cook. It is also known as fahai-ula (split dance), which may be degenerated to fahaiula. Traditionally, it is performed after an ûotuhaka. It is still danced nowadays, although less popular than its descendant the tauolunga. It used to be more popular before the arrival of Christianity and was the main dance, danced by women before the tau'olunga replaced it. The dance used to be fast paced, involved movement in the hips, legs, feet and upper body. However with the arrival of Christianity, the royal family completely altered the dance. Now the movements are more stiff and conservative.
Some older chants:
Oiau, sia langi ula; i iÃÂ fai mai sia tauolunga. io!
Tulopa he iau moe; io ÃÂ! vasaleva iau moe; io!
Sina vai tava ÃÂ ÃÂ he iÃÂ, ÃÂ ÃÂ.
Sina vai tafe lou lonÃÂ. io, io, he lou lonÃÂ.
Tunotuna oe Ale-le-sÃÂ, manuia oe saualuma.
Laulau tui Vaea ÃÂ, Vaea lau mÃÂnaia.
These parts are from the beginning of the 20th century:
Tonga, Tonga ÃÂ, tulituli faiva, he tuli faiva ÃÂ pei kau mua pei kau mai ke tau kalofi kuo tau e langi tulituli faiva, he tuli faiva ÃÂ.
Tonga, Tonga ÃÂ, tulituli faiva, he tuli faiva ÃÂ ko e faiva ni ko hoto kakala o lau taanga pea fola haka tulituli faiva, he tuli faiva ÃÂ.
Tonga, Tonga ÃÂ, tulituli faiva, he tuli faiva ÃÂ kuo ke meai sioto founga fiemÃÂlie tuku ke u ula tulituli faiva, he tuli faiva ÃÂ.
And then there are still more variants.
The name split dance comes from the habit that the performers split up in two (or more) groups, one entering the stage from the left, the other from the right, until the two meet in the centre and merge into one or more rows. The performers are always girls, it is rare that boys will join.
The dance movements are in essence very simple and limited. Most of the work, making supple, beautiful postures, is done by the hands and the head. The body remains quite stiff, and except for an occasional step or a kneeling, the legs are not much used either.
The dress of the girls is like that of the tauolunga, although the red dress is here most popular.