EKK: On the Wingtips of Pueo

Island School, April 16, 2007

Kenneth Makuakane emails me: "Please give my aloha to Pueo Pata. He is the preeminent standard bearer for the next generation of storytellers."

		"I did not catch the title but it made the aunties scream and the gentlemen turn beet red so it must have communicated a lot of kauna." Photo by Tashi

From the get-go, this became evident as a whole contingent of middle school and younger students, mostly males, from Kanuikapono Charter School in Anahola were lined up on the porch to meet and greet Pueo with proper Hawaiian protocol -- delivery of a series of oli (chants) exchanged between students and the artist. It was unexpected but so wonderful to see these young students deliver their oli so confidently and to hear Pueo's response with vocal intonations and style not often heard, especially from someone so young. It was so chicken skin special that I asked them to repeat it when most of the participants had arrived and the formal part of the program began. From the applause, you could tell that everyone really appreciated the chance to observe this protocol.

I had heard of Pueo Pata of Makawao, 1999 winner of the Frank B Shaner Falsetto singing Contest, and have listened to his music on his new CD, but having the opportunity to meet and hear the music of Pueo LIVE is quite an extraordinary experience. The intimate setting of E Kanikapila Kakou was ideal to experience this initial meeting with Pueo and his two very close friends, Leimana Abenes of Hilo on upright bass and Mark Palakiko of Kamahula-Lahaina on guitar.

Pueo comes in a mini-size package with all the youthful accoutrements of a younger generation -- bleached hair slightly spiked with gel, faded blue jeans, arresting good looks -- and lively humorous dialogue sprinkled with quick wit and slang words. To explain why he used the expression "A U R A I!", he shared an incident when his friend asked him "What is AURAI?" ... the letters on a tee-shirt he wears all the time. "A-u-r-a-i!" (Aw Righ'! in slang) answered Pueo.

	Students from Kanuikapono greet Pueo Pata with a chant of introduction. Photo by Tashi

However, as he unfolds his evening of music and hula, Pueo reveals an "old soul" who embodies in his words and attitudes a deep respect for the traditions passed on by his mentors. Perhaps it's the way he holds his head, perhaps it's his extraordinary voice, perhaps it's his distinctive delivery of the traditional oli (chants), perhaps it is his charismatic ability to connect with every person in the room...everyone could sense that they were privileged to be in the presence of this unique "storyteller".

To begin his sharing, he presented me with a special lei of laua'e ferns that he had made. Receiving a lei from the presenters was quite special in itself, but he explained he had braided it in a style passed on to him from his kupunas, a lei like the one that he wears on the cover of his new CD, "He Aloha" (spread the aloha), which was released on February 27 by Ululoa Productions. He acknowledged Auntie Maria of Mele.com, one of the biggest advocates for his CD, who helped to boost his CD sales. Can't believe she made the trek from the north shore.

Pueo says he is a kumu hula, an educator and an entertainer ... in that order. He spends a great deal of his time performing in Japan going there as many as 8 - 12 times a year. I read also that Pueo is designated as the cultural linguistic compiler for the Nomlaki Indian tribe in Northern California; his extended family comprises about sixty percent of the tribe.

Embracing his Hawaiian heritage, he was trained in the strict tradition of Puna-based 'Ilala'ole hula lineage where he learned his lessons well and came to know the hard edge of the ukulele. Among his many mentors were Diane Amadeo, Eleanor Makita, Nona Mahilani Kaluhiokalani, and the legendary Uncle George Naope who took Pueo under this wing and passed on many of the traditional language, chants, dances, crafts to his chosen protege.

	Pueo Pata chants an oli of introduction in return to the students. Photo by Tashi

He explained the importance of the Hawaiian language and how it was so closely tied in with the culture and gave a number of examples of how the slightest difference in the pronunciation of a word, placement of okinas and kahako, could change the meaning of the word. There is kauna in everything.

"We are here to entertain and to tell stories" and the trio did just that! To me, it was like jumping on one of those bemo buses (open air public transports) in Bali, riding with the locals and all their kids, vegetables, animals, and local dialect; you just hang on and take it all in....

Pueo, Leimana and Mark packed the hour with song after song in beautiful falsetto harmonies. Every song, every hula was an opportunity to share something of the Hawaiian tradition. As they sang each song, Pueo weaves the translations and stories as spoken word between each line of the songs, flying us around the island of Kaua'i from Hanalei to Nawiliwili to Waipouli, to Ni'ihau, to Maui and into the private world between lovers.

He then asked Leimana to sing "Ku'u Lei Pua Hoku", which she recorded on Pueo's album. She also sang "Aloha Kaeo" written by Mama Ane Kanahele of Ni'ihau about a prominent peak on the mountain range on her island home. Leimana sang this song on a CD insert in a prominent Japanese hula magazine which is sold only in Japan. Pueo pointed out that the geneology of Ni'ihau and Maui are very closely connected because the children of ali'i in Maui were sent away to Ni'ihau when missionaries arrived in Maui...ironically, Ni'ihau turned out to be the most Christian island in the chain.

One of the students from Kanuikapono asked if he would sing "Laga-Haga". To explain the song, Pueo said that being Hawaiian and not lazy, we make up our own secret dialects so we can speak in code ... this is called "Kake". Example: Kekuhi Kanahele of the Big Island recorded a "kake" by adding extra syllables to the words.

"Laga-Haga" is a fast-paced tongue twister song sung in secret code, hinting that it was time to get it on; "if you don't understand....good; you're not supposed to understand until you get older." Interesting that the song request came from an adolescent. Even more interesting is that a song with lyrics that one cannot understand can still communicate a lot.

He took some time to explain the graphics of his album and its many layers of meanings ....in the manner of peeling a fruit open from its skin to its inner core, he explained each section of the CD cover and graphics. It cost a lot so he felt he should get his money's worth by helping us to understand and appreciate the many layers of meanings in the art work. It begins with "laua'e" and ends with "laua'e"; Pueo believes that everything in life has kauna or hidden meanings.

For a lively change in pace, Pueo called up Keola Alalem to dance a hula, but after a brief two-second conference, they agreed that Keola would play and sing "Kaloa" and Pueo would dance it. So energetic and sassy was his hula that the audience went wild with screams of "hana hou" so Pueo danced another alluring hula. I did not catch the title but it made the aunties scream and the gentlemen turn beet red so it must have communicated a lot of kauna.

To introduce their parting song about Kalapana in the Big Island, he told the story of Pele and her spiritual journey to Ke'e in Haena where she spent three days with her lover Lohi'au. After returning her spirit to her physical body in Volcano, she wanted someone to fetch Lohi'au. Youngest sister Hi'iaka volunteered to go although her siblings thought she was too delicate to travel, but she proved herself capable of taking the journey to retrieve Pele's sweetheart Lohi'au. Before she left, she chanted to her surfing lover in Kalapana. This song he dedicated to his good friend Nick Castillo of Waimea who sent a whole contingent of his friends to be at EKK because he, himself, was on the plane heading back from Japan.

The audience, of course, wanted to Kanikapila so we all sang the song "Ka Lehua A'o Waimea", a beautiful song on Pueo's CD. Another song on his CD, " E Lili'u e" about Queen Lili'uokalani was dedicated to his friend "Queen" Nalani Duarte-Vidal. Too soon it was time to sing "Hawai'i Aloha" and say goodnight. Smiling faces indicated that they had been entertained and educated by one of Hawa'i's rising young stars.

Two Mondays left - on April 23, we have Keoki Kahumoku who's on this year's Grammy winning CD; April 29 and 30, we have legendary Jerry Santos and his cousin Hoku Zuttermeister, Barry Kimokeo and hula dancer Nalani Badua-Fernandes.

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.