They are vibrantly colored feather gourd rattles used in kahiko performances to maintain timing and to enhance other sounds like chanting or the pounding of an ipu.
ʻUlīʻulī are made from Calabash gourds filled with sand, aliʻi poe seeds, or pebbles.
To make the base where the rattling sound is made, a calabash gourd is hollowed out and dried until hardened.
Several plants like achiote, ʻōlena turmeric, ʻukiʻuki (Dianella sandwicensis), noni Indian mulberry, kukui candlenut tree, and ʻākala raspberry can be ground up and mixed with water to make natural ink dyes for stamping designs onto the kapa.
Hula dancers make rattling sounds with the ʻulīʻulī by shaking or tapping the base against the body.
Hula kahiko are performed to honor the gods and entertain the royal court while preserving orally transmitted narratives and genealogies.
ʻUlīʻulī are used in kahiko performances to maintain timing and to enhance sounds created simultaneously through chanting and other instruments like the ipu and pūʻili.