right|thumb|280px|Hālau at Honokōhau park
A '''hālau''' is Hawaiian word meaning a school, academy, or group. Literally, the word means "a branch from which many leaves grow." Today a hālau usually describes a hula school (hālau hula).
The teacher at the hālau is the kumu hula, where kumu means source of knowledge, or literally just teacher. Often you will find that there is a hierarchy in hula schools - starting with the kumu (teacher), alaka'i (leader), kokua (helpers), and then the 'olapa (dancers) or haumana (students).
The word was also used for the long open-air houses, often constructed at the shores, where the instruction took place.
An example has been reconstructed at the Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061015122024/http://www.nps.gov/kaho/historyculture/upload/kaloko%20wall.pdf The Spirit of Kaloko] brochure from National Park Service</ref>
A common Hawaiian adage is " {{okina}}A{{okina}}ohe pau ka {{okina}}ike i ka hālau hoʻokahi," which means, "All knowledge is not contained in only one school."<ref>{{Cite book|title='Olelo No'eau : Hawaiian proverbs & poetical sayings|date=1983|publisher=Bishop Museum Press|others=Pukui, Mary Kawena, 1895-1986., Varez, Dietrich, 1939-|isbn=0910240922|location=Honolulu, Hawai'i|oclc=11372381}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halau}} Category:Hawaiian words and phrases Category:School types Category:Education in Hawaii