Cool Water Hula
Participate!
Friends of Missoula artist Kristi Hager will honor her memory & bless the river by dancing her Cool Water Hula for its 25th anniversary this year at
National Water Dance Day (Missoula) April 18 (the same day as the Clark Fork Coalition’s river cleanup).
and at the Montana Folk Festival in Butte, MT on July 10, 2026.
There will be opportunities to learn the dance at UM’s PARTV building room 035 Tuesdays beginning March 24 from 7:30-8:30 pm– taught by Tarn Ream
There will also be a workshop at the contra dance at Lubrecht Forest on June 20, 2026.
Learn the Cool Water Hula!
If you are unable to attend any of the in-person lessons, you can practice learning the dance using the video that Kristi created to teach others. Share with your friends!
25 years ago, Missoula artist Kristi Hager, was saddened by the death of many snow geese in the Berkeley pit — and by the sad state of the Clark Fork River. She had studied hula and learned that it is used to help heal. So, she took the Sons of the Pioneers song “Cool Water” and turned it into a hula. Many people joined her to dance it on the edge of the Berkeley Pit. And it has been danced a number of times along the Clark Fork. With the passing of Kristi in 2024, it seems another good time to use the healing power of the Cool Water Hula to send health blessings to the Clark Fork River. Also to remind folks of the impacts of climate change on the river – and the potential impacts of data centers.
Kristi Hager - Cool Water Hula - Berkley Pit, Butte, MT
“I’ve been doing this dance for twelve years, alone in my painting studio overlooking the Pit in Butte, Montana, mostly to raise my spirits and keep warm in the dead of winter. Now I want masses of us, dancing on the brink of this abandoned open-pit copper mine, a mile and a half across, rim to rim, that contains thirty five billion gallons of contaminated water.
...Hula is more than provocative pelvic movements packaged for sun screen-slathered tourists at hotel luaus. Hula is ancient. Hula celebrates creation. Hula opens hearts. Hula goes to any level you want to take it. Hula heals.”
"Cool Water Hula: An Art Action" 154 new hula dancers at the Berkeley Pit, Butte, MT, July 9, 2000.
Director: Kristi Hager
Music Director: Judy Fjell
Trailer for documentary: Kristi Hager and Tracey Moore ©2002
Cool Water Hula (for the musicians!)
Cool Water Hula version
Intro: G (R ) D7 (L) G (R) D7 (L)
G (R ). D7 (L)
1. All day I face the barren waste
G (R ) D7 (L & R) G(L)
Without the taste of water, cool water
C (R ) D7 (L)
Old Dan and I with throats burned dry
G (R ) C(L) G (R & L) D7(R & L) G(R & L)
And souls that cry for water (water), cool, clear, water
CHORUS
G (R ) D7(L)
Keep a-movin', Dan, don't ya listen to him, Dan
G (R ) D7 (L) G (R & L)
He's a devil not a man and he spreads the burning sand with water
C (R ) G (L)
Dan, can you see that big green tree
C (R ) D7(L) G R C L
Where the water's running free And it's waiting there for you and me-e-e-e?
G (R & L) D7(R & L) G (R & L)
Water(water), cool clear Water
G (R ) D7 (L)
2. The nights are cool and I'm a fool
G (R ) D7(L & R) G (L)
Each star's a pool of water, cool water
C (R ) D7 (L)
And with the dawn, we carry on,
G (R ) C(L) G (R & L) D7(R & L) G(R & L)
But we won’t last long without water (water), cool, clear, water
3.G (R ) D7(L)
The shadows sway and seem to say
G (R ) D7(L & R) G (L)
Tonight we pray for water, cool water
C (R ) D7 (L)
And way out there please hear our prayer
G (R ) C (L) G (R & L) D7(R & L) G(R & L)
Teach us to care for water(water), cool, clear, water
Chorus again
Note: we’ll use verse 3 for encore then into recessional :
G (R ) D7 (L) G (R) D7 (L)