I Was a Little Brown Gal

Back in the Stone Age, my great-aunt was stationed in Hawaii as an assignment for the Army. She was there long enough to "get comfortable" and learn how to hula. She came home from the service and taught my mother and my aunts how to hula too. I don't know about my aunts, but my mother fell in love with it. She practiced and worked those hips and got pretty good.

When I was in second grade, my school had a talent show. It was a big deal back then, and the winners were getting monetary prizes. My mother suggested I learn to hula and win some of that money. I remember her standing behind me, holding my hips in her hands and pushing them in the right direction back and forth. She danced me all over that living room floor making me mad and making herself crazy. She worked WAY harder than I did, but I learned to hula and I was good enough to win some of that money.

Yes, my mama was proud. From that point on, anytime there was a talent show at church, mama signed us up. It became a family event...my sisters learned to hula too and my brother learned how to be a good palm tree.

Since that time, we've all grown up and gone in our directions. I've hula'd in several places now and with a LOT of varying people. I've learned a couple more hulas and even learned what some of those words mean in those songs! Recently, I was asked to teach the women at church how to hula. I agreed, but sort of on my own terms.....

Me and the coconut bra performed the Little Brown Gal song and then I taught it to them.

Before I show you the video, keep in mind that I am VERY self-conscious of my appearance. I know I'm heavy, I know I'm not pretty in this and it is taking all my courage to post this anyway. So just overlook the ugly parts and take note that you can't even recognize the badly bruised knee I'm dancing on and you can't really tell that I kept stepping on that dress (you're right mama, it's a bit too long once you bend your knees and dance!) and that my stepping on it distracted me and I felt like I was stumbling.

Ok,.... remember the agreement,...you only see the good parts! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mOKvmgzh3s&feature=youtu.be