Walter Keale, a singing storyteller, at EKK
February 26, 2007, Island School

		Walter Keale Rocks!

Walter Keale, a new face at the E Kanikapila Kakou program, jumped right into action with no hesitation, leading off with a Hawaiian chant. Just when everyone thought they got the words, he added hand motions and steps and everyone was back to step #1. It was a bit like tapping your head and rubbing your tummy, but the audience at EKK is game for anything, so it was a new tongue twisting experience even if the learning curve was rather steep for most.

He showed the ukulele folks some simple picking which made a person look like he was really good at playing the instrument.

Keale introduced his family lineage which originated in Ni'ihau and extended into Kaua'i and throughout the state. "We don't believe in conflict; we conquer through marriage," he joked. Indeed there are Keales everywhere and they are all related.

Walter cleared up for me one thing that confused me since I was in grade school with a classmate named Moses Keale who had an older brother named Moses Keale. "How come?" I asked Walter. Their father, Moses Keale, named all his seven kids Moses Keale, including the two sisters.

When one has relatives who sing like Moe Keale and Bruddah Iz, it's very intimidating to sing in public, so for nearly twenty years Walter sang just for himself and for God. He didn't like attending church so the mountains were his church.

The day after his Uncle Moe died, he sat on the beach and his Uncle came to him. He described how his Uncle settled his enormous bulk down and sat cross legged on the sand next to him, and the conversation they had finally gave him the go-ahead to get out and sing in public.

He shared an 'ohana song composed by Moses W. Keale, his great grandfather from Ni'ihau. The story goes that the ancestral Keale went hunting for this enormous goat in Kalalau and got confused when the goat disappeared. Keale was startled and stepped off the cliff and as he plunged down the 325 feet cliff, he prayed, "If you save me, Iesu, I will follow you forever," and when he landed safe at the bottom in six inches of water, he dedicated his life to God. He built the Hawaiian Church in Waimea and another church, and the song he composed "Ua Mau" was written after he survived the life-changing fall. Lovely hymn-like song.

Now this Moses W. Keale, minister of Ni'ihau who composed "Ua Mau", is either the father or grandfather of the Moses Keale who named his seven kids Moses Keale, one of whom was my classmate at Waimea High School. It's all perfectly clear....you never call anyone by the wrong name if you just have to remember one name...Moses Keale.

The evening was full of stories that explained the Hawaiian compass which changes if you live on Ni'ihau, Kaua'i and 'Oahu (Northern Hawaiians) or if you live on Molokai, Maui or the Big Island (Southern Hawaiians). We even learned the nursery rhyme and hand gestures that children learn in order to understand and remember the Hawaiian compass. These directions are important in understanding some of the phrases in the songs he taught us - "Kalena Kai" and "Ua Nani Ni'ihau". The verses weave together the history and the geography of the land described in the songs.

"Kalena Kai", a song that has been taught many times at EKK, took on whole new meanings as Keale explained the metaphorical shapes of Mt. Ka'ala, the significance and size of Waianae as it once was, and the historical significance of the entire area viewed from Mt. Ka'ala. Drum beats from Waianae sent messages all the way up the mountains so folks would know what fish were running that day and what size nets to bring down to catch the fish. It also cleared up the confusion about why Lihu'e is one of the name places in Waianae; it's not the same Lihu'e that is found on Kaua'i. For 108 years, these lands were closed to the people because Schofield Barracks and the gunnery range was built on this land; it was once a place where the most sacred chiefs of Hawai'i lived.

Another great story is about the old kupuna who shared a secret about the Kiko'o springs and how she used triangulation to determine the exact location of a hidden spring. This story was the inspiration for a beautiful song that Walter composed...a song that still remains to be named. Walter sang the song for us. Such a gift to be able to compose such wonderful meles. It's a good thing that Uncle Moe gave Walter a good talking to.

"Ua Nani Niihau" composed by Auntie Emalia Licayan with music by Keale is a hauntingly beautiful melody that describes her love for her home island of Ni'ihau. Keale describes Ni'ihau as a tenor nation where church songs are in 8-part harmony and all songs are sung high in key of F and G. Everyone observes the Sabbath so from sunset Saturday until Sunday sunset, no one can cook or play instruments, so at sunset on Sunday, the tuning of the instruments begin.

Walter was sent to live with his grandparents in a Mexican community on the mainland for most of his young life in a town with a name that translates into "plains of nothingness". His Aunt asked that he return to Hawai'i to help teach the younger ones the stories and traditions that need to be passed on. Wonderful story-teller that he is, he has taken on this role and does it with music. Based on what he shared with us at EKK, you can tell that he will make Uncle Moe proud.

This week Monday night, March 5, Dennis and David Kamakahi returns once again to EKK by popular demand. They headlined the "Ola Na Kupuna" fundraiser concert on Sunday, March 4, and what a wonderful concert that was.
EKK starts at 6:00 for ukulele and guitar folks; singing starts at 7:00 pm. EKK is held at the Island School behind the Kauai Community College.

Carol Kouchi Yotsuda, E Kanikapila Kakou 2007
Celebrating 30 years of "bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS

E Kanikapila Kakou Hawaiian Music Program is funded in part by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, the County of Kaua'i Office of Economic Development, and Garden Island Arts Council supporters. Space generously provided by Island School.

Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawai'i and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.