25 05, 2020

Week #8 EKK Wrap – LT Smooth & Keale – EKK Season Wrap

2020-05-25T15:05:38-10:00EKK 2020, NEWS! Arts & Cultural Events on Kauai|0 Comments

For Upcoming 2020 Arts & Culture Calendar or email  giac05@icloud.com to get listing in advance

Mahalo to all who enjoy and support Art and Culture on Kaua’i
Donate by clicking here.

Register on AmazonSmile.Org & select Garden island Arts Council to receive .05% of your eligible purchases

Click here for the EKK Facebook page

Covid-19 has shut down many programs but these “value-added masks” made from last year’s EKK tee-shirts remind us of all the wonderful memories we have enjoyed all season. 

Thanks to Jill and Masami Kouchi of Hilo.

LT Smooth & Keale – Artists with Message in their Music

 

Without the weekly adrenalin pump that I get when I am trying to pull together each Monday night’s EKK program, the unexpected and sudden aborting of our ten-week Hawaiian Music program put me into mental hibernation as I sadly experienced atrophy of the brain. As it turned out, the final two nights of the season had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 directives but that does not take away from the previous eight spectacular Mondays. After some time to rest and reflect, I thought the EKK audience deserved a review of the shortened but unforgettable EKK 2020 season. (see last section of this “wrap”).

The final night turned out to be a shared-stage performance by LT Smooth of Kona, Walt Keale from O’ahu, and Kaua’i guest violinist Kimberly Hope.

Most artists, due to their busy schedules, have only enough time to zoom in to Kaua’i and fly out on the earliest flight. Sometimes the rare opportunity presents itself that I am actually gifted with a few hours of personal talk story time with the artists; such was the case with these two gentlemen musicians. I invited LT and Keale to spend some downtime relaxing at my pastoral home until their hotel rooms were ready; it was an amazing few hours that I was treated to. How I wished that the whole EKK audience would have had the time to really hear the story of their lives, their commitment, and their life’s mission. Instead, the truncated time at EKK afforded them only time to share the “Readers Digest version” of their mission and their music.

By virtue of his extraordinary gift of music, LT Smooth, born Simiti Leon Toomata O’Sullivan, is able to reach mass audiences and world leaders that many have no access to. Except for a month off, he spends the year traveling globally with his band to play music for audiences, big and small, spreading his message of hope. “If I can save just one life tonight, I have done my job.”

LT opened the 8th night of EKK 2020 sharing four songs that capsulized his message.

Growing up in New Zealand as a son to an Irish “gangbanger”; he and one other brother were taken from a family of 11 siblings to live the life of drug dealers, raised on breakfast of cocaine and heroin since age nine. “All I could do was weep and cry because I’m only human” with only the consolation of music to help himself. After ten years of this brutal life, he was finally able to remove himself from the drug scene with the help of his mother and has been clean for 26 years, reminded daily that music healed his life and helped him to see “how short and precious life is.” He lived for seven years in Idaho working in prisons for youth. “I want to help someone else ‘get through it!’’’ Today he lives his life as an ambassador of music traveling the world to each day “save a life.”

A recent stint in Davos, Switzerland at a gathering of world leaders afforded him the opportunity and privilege to witness Jane Goodall challenge every President to “save our planet” by planting a trillion trees in 2020. My message tonight is, “If we don’t make a change now, our generation will suffer.” And with that he treated a spell-bound audience to a magical experience by singing four songs meaningful to him. He invited young Kaua’i violinist Kimberly Hope to the stage to accompany him; she wielded her instrument with such grace and confidence and added just the right accompaniment to his guitar and singing.

Oh Danny Boy was dedicated to his father; it was sung with so much heart and passion, the audience was visibly moved. He shared Waterfall from his latest album, a perfect song to play with Kimberly as together her animated playing on the violin and his amazing mastery of the guitar collectively captured the sounds of a cascading waterfall. LT plays 19 instruments professionally and his latest challenge is to teach himself to play the fiddle, sitting late at night on the toilet with his I-Pad to compose and master the intricacies of the instrument. They look like they had been playing together for years.

One long “W-O-O-O-W!”

LT played twice at the White House, once for President Obama and recently for President Trump who saw him playing in SF and sent a messenger to invite him to play at the White House along with Stevie Wonder and Mary J Blige. LT told them he wanted to fly Hawaiian so he could collect miles and that he had to bring his wife, but the White House had another agenda and sent nine secret service agents to pick up him and his wife. True to form, there was the usual motorcade fanfare, but his wife had to take a bus tour around the town while he played music at the event. While they waited in the green room, Trump walked in and said, “I’m going to change the program; you all three need to perform together.” They ended up singing Amazing Grace, which is what LT wished to sing tonight.

He shared the background of the song written in 1772 by Englishman John Newton, a slave trader who was captaining the slave ship which sank. He wrote the lyrics on the dashboard of the vessel while listening to the anguished sounds from the belly of the ship. Newton survived to tell the story and later became an Anglican clergyman and put his lyrics to music in this song of forgiveness and redemption. LT sang it with the passion of the message and Kimberly was lost in her own world of making her instrument sing.

One of the most gifted slack key artists, LT puts his own spin on many songs and so it was with Hi’ilawe, about the lovers who ran away to the waterfall in Waipi’o Valley. His singing is powerful and bursting with life so he sounds like a whole Hawaiian band.

LT then introduced Walt Keale who has played at EKK many times and treasures every opportunity to do so. He earlier taught the ‘ukulele circle and had participants chanting and playing their instruments. On stage, he showed off bags of poi gifted to them by Hanalei Steve who treats all the visiting musicians with Kaua’i-style aloha.

Keale took the Mo’olelo portion of our 2020 theme to heart and spent most of his stage time sharing stories about growing up with his extended ‘ohana where every other summer all the uncles, aunties and cousins camped out the entire summer on Makua beach with Sunday set aside for church services. The church services started at 7:00 am until 9:00 at night where singing, wala’au, eating, napping and praying took place in their car porch “church”; one of the highlights was music by the original Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau as the worship band. Growing up with such experiences has left an indelible mark on Keale.

He carried the church service into the audience and had the entire audience singing along Hele Mai followed by Nani o Ka’ala, a song he composed about the “eye of the Creator.” He topped off the first half of the program with a spontaneous White Sandy Beach on the Kamoa ‘ukulele that was donated by Kamoa ‘ukulele. After the intermission, Naoko from Santa Cruz was the lucky winner of the instrument.

The second half of the program was rich with songs as Keale, LT and Kimberly jammed together on the songs they loved.

Looking at Keale today, one would never guess that he was born premature at six months and weighed a mere 3 pounds 2 ounces. With a caring grandfather who looked after him for the first two years, he survived to take his place among the elders, uncles and aunties who schooled him about the old cultural sites and practices in Hawai’i. Today he carries his responsibility with his recognizable rich voice singing a medley of Hawai’i ’76 and Bruddah Iz’s In Dis Life. By request he also sang Hosanna/Ua Mau (Grandpa’s Song); these songs are very special when coupled with the richness of his voice, a gift which he imparts to all who are present to hear him.

Motherland, by alternative rock singer/songwriter Nathan Marchant, focused on the importance of calling mountains by their native names by which the indigenous people called their sacred mountains. Today many native peoples are moving to reclaim their mountains by calling them the original place names.

LT shared a nostalgic moment crediting his mother for raising the ten boys and one girl in his family and singing songs to them that he remembers fondly even today. One of them was John Denver’s Country Roads/ “Almost Heaven” which struck a major chord with the audience as they all started singing along with a lot of zest in their voices. Another song that makes him think of his mother was also the first song that he heard when he arrived in Hawai’i at the Honolulu airport, Bruddah Iz’s version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star rang out throughout the airport. He loved it so much he had to record it on one of his CD’s. He started with a quote in Maori and sang the song with so much passion that it touched everyone in the audience; Keale joined in with the Hawaiian lyrics, adding a whole new dimension to an old favorite. Kimberly was so moved that her solo pa’ani was magical with lyrical, graceful, elegant movements on the violin. The mood of nostalgia was so thick that it could be felt by everyone there, and it carried on into the next song.

Artists normally open their program with a song from the host island, but tonight the musician’s ended their program with the Kaua’i favorite Koke’e by Dennis Kamakahi! What a dynamic and magical version of this song as the artists were truly in sync with their guitar, ‘ukulele and violin instrumentation accompanying their rich and lively singing. LT’s pa’ani is always amazing and hula dancers filled the aisle with their hula. The crowd went wild with Hana hou! Hana hou!

Keale obliged the audience request for Kanaka Waiwai, and LT, who said he did not know the song, came up with yet another amazing pa’ani on his guitar.

LT jumped right into a second hana hou with ‘Ulupalakua, and the audience started clapping furiously as young Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas jumped up on stage to do his fabulous hula. We didn’t know it at that time that this would be the last song for EKK 2020, but it was wonderful that he was able to squeeze in one last hula to the audience’s delight. Kamaha’o had been present all season sharing his wonderful falsetto singing and hula dancing; the audience just could not get enough of his remarkable performances. He lives up to his name which means “wonderful, astonishing, marvelous”!

Everyone held hands and sang Hawai’i Aloha, not aware at that time but we were actually saying goodbye to everyone for EKK 2020.

Message from Walt Keale:
I feel very honored & blessed to have made it into EKK during this crazy, momentous year, Auntie Carol. There is a lot of sadness around us but to see Kauai arts gotta shut down…It’s one of the hardest realities for this epidemic–life & joy on hold & frozen in its tracks! I look forward to the thaw in late-May & June & appreciate your optimism. It was wonderful to move from all the red font to black again. Many blessings!
Walt

(Walt was referring to call the “cancellations of events” listed in RED)

REFLECTING ON THE EKK 2020 SEASON

Week #1:
We kicked off EKK 2020 with our ever-popular Malie Foundation Community Hula Night. “We should start with Community Hula Night every year; it’s like a huge party with everyone so happy to be there!” “Wow! Opening night was so wonderful I could not go to sleep after I got home; it was such a ‘high’ with so much going on and so many surprises!” It was an exciting program with hula lessons by Kumu Hula Puna Kalama Dawson, Vanessa Punua, Beverly Muraoka and Uncle Nathan Kalama accompanied by the fabulous nine-piece “Kauai Pop-Up Band.” The second half of the evening was a wonderful and playful hula free-for-all where any and all dancers could step up to the stage to dance to the many irresistible hula favorite songs requested by the audience.

Week #2:
The “Papakolea Serenaders” delivered nothing short of a real backyard jam … all that was missing was the fish, salt and day-old poi! “Take a Visit to Papakolea with Us!” was like a giant musical wave that swept the audience off their feet. Cousin Jonah Kahanu started out with his song titled Kewalo Uka. What pipes he has! Puka and sister Taneesha demonstrated their rapid-fire double-strum licks; strumming in unison, their hands were a blur. They moved seamlessly through a medley of songs — Pauoa Liko Ka Lehua, Moloka’i Nui A Hina, Mauna Loa and Hula O Makee with Eddie Punua’s awesome steel guitar pa’ani blending all the instruments. This is what I call “Power Singing and Great Harmony!” The audience was collectively foot-tapping and shoulder-swaying as they kept time with the contagious music.

A highlight was when two well-known tutu came up to the stage to do the hula. Second cousins Ihi’ihi Kaneali’i and Kamala Mersberg, related through their grandfathers who were brothers, sat at the edge of the stage with their legs dangling down doing a hula noho. Hand motions suggesting the lyrics, they treated us to the underlying story with their flirtatious eyebrows, sensuous shoulder shrugs, torso swaying ever so slightly as Cory Mau delivered Ke Aloha composed by Aunty Lei Collins.

Week #3:
Two consummate musicians – Jerry Santos and Kamuela Kimokeo — and a standing-room-only crowd of adoring fans and new faces eager to become fans is the recipe for an evening of shared experiences that will go down in the books for all present. Starting with Jerry’s distinctive voice that we have all come to love through years of “groupie” attendance at his many gigs and playing our worn-out tapes and CD’s since the early days when Jerry sported long hair and sang with his partner Robert Beaumont and others collectively known as Olomana. Add to that the musical genius of Kamuela Kimokeo on his “aladdin-mat” guitar which can sweep you away with breathtaking riffs that can go on and on forever!

Two extraordinary voices – Jerry’s in a lower register and Kamuela’s multi-octave voice gliding up and down with such ease — soaring and filling the entire room from wall to wall with the sounds that have brought us such joy for so many years. The whole evening was a gift of appreciation about what we enjoy in this place called home. Audience applause was tangible evidence that everyone appreciated the music.

Week #4:
The audience sat transfixed as Michael Pili Pang shared the story of the origin of hula which started on Kaua’i at the Ke Ahu A Laka hula mound on the slopes of Ke’e Beach in Ha’ena with the Godly encounters between Madame Pele, her “human” boy toy Lohi’au, and Pele’s younger sister, the Goddess Hi’iaka. The first half of the performance was a fascinating revelation of the encounters between Gods and mortals as they acted out their emotions of love, passion, jealousy, anger and revenge.

If the powerful hula kahiko first half kept everyone captive, the light and colorful second half of hula ‘auana was both entertaining and instructive as Michael narrated in English the lyrics of the Hawaiian mele; understanding the fluid moves of the hula choreography became so clear. It was simply wonderful! Michael brought the fascinating hula tradition to life as he masterfully chanted, narrated, and translated the lyrics of the mele so that even the novice could understand the meaning of the hula movements. The entire evening was a fascinating visual and auditory storyboard that was artistic, emotional, exciting and informative. He took us on a time-and-space travel through the genealogy of traditional hula ku’i. Mahalo Michael Pili Pang!

Surprises at EKK are common occurrences as we are often treated to unplanned happenings but tonight pulled the plug out from under me. Michael called me up to the stage to help him and proceeded to read a letter from Kahu Kenneth Makuakane, a frequent presenter at EKK and currently the chair of the “Lifetime Achievement Industry Award” selection committee for the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Artists. Michael announced to an ecstatic EKK audience that EKK would be the recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in October 2020. The Halau dancers ended the first half of the program with the powerful Hula Ma’i (procreation chant) He Ma’i No ‘Iolani which Michael stated would be appropriate to see that EKK enjoys continued procreation.

Week #5
Kupaoa – Lihau Hannahs Paik and Kellen Paik
Lihau opens the program with, “We’re at our BEST at EKK because of all of you; EKK is definitely a great audience!” Yes! All the artists who appear on EKK stage agree that the EKK audience is very special because they show their appreciation for the gift of music that all artists share with them. Tonight was no exception.

There is something special that can be said about watching someone “grow up” and that is somewhat the situation with Kupaoa’s connection with EKK. When they first appeared on the EKK stage they were two singles finding their voice together. This year they return as first-time parents to a delightful little girl named Jemma, aka “Kellen, Jr”. Lihau shared a story that an audience member told her — she’s been at every EKK performance by Kupaoa, even back at Island School cafeteria where Kellen (supposedly) proposed to her on stage and she turned him down … at least that time. Kellen pointed out that it was more romantic than the actual proposal. And therein lies some of the Kupaoa stage charm that has entertained us over the years … watching Lihau and Kellen, aka “Mr. and Mrs. Bickerson”, “Sonny and Cher”, each telling his or her own version of the same incident but with very different points of view, is often quite hilarious.

Week #6:
NUE – N? ‘Ukulele ‘Ekolu – is Bryan Tolentino on tenor ‘ukulele, Halehaku Seabury from the group “N? Hoa” on baritone ‘ukulele and Kama Hopkins from the group “Holunape” on U-Bass. They took on the EKK audience which happily participated in a 45-minute workshop at the beginning of the evening. “No song sheets for the ‘ukulele circle” as it becomes a crutch to getting mentally engaged in the process of listening, paying attention to everyone around you, and really learning to play this simple and yet complicated instrument. Victor said it was the most instructive ‘ukulele circle ever; really blew his mind how much he learned.

There were three ‘ukuleles making up the band – the baritone ‘ukulele played left-handed by Halehaku carried the melody in the middle range like playing the top four strings on the guitar, the bass ‘ukulele played by Kama Hopkins kept the beats with very low, subtle sounds like playing the bottom four strings of the guitar, and the smaller tenor ‘ukulele played by Bryan carried the melody in the higher range. Of course, each ‘ukulele overlapped with the two others so that they would sound like ‘ukulele, guitar and bass playing together. The result was not anything like a group of ‘ukulele players strumming together at a gathering or ‘ukulele stars demonstrating their amazing virtuosity. Instead, it was more like a jazz ensemble in a lounge setting playing music serendipitously, each playing off of the other musicians.

Week #7
When Napua first stepped on stage, to the audience she was tonight’s entertainer. By the end of the evening, everyone embraced her as a powerhouse singer, well deserving of the “Female Vocalist of the Year” award, a dutiful daughter with her own mind, an adoring younger sister, a loving mother, a wife, teacher, a wiser politician “no longer”, a strict and bossy kumu hula, a musician who carved a niche for herself in the music world, an engaging story-teller and a lot more.

In her inimitable style she filled the stage and worked the audience with her feisty personality, her descriptive stories, her amazing singing, her alluring hula, and her zesty love of life. Accompanied by her fantastic and loyal musicians – Sean Naleimaile, Zanuck Lindsay and Wailau Ryder – she shared an evening of songs that captured the essence of her life.

‘Imi Au Ia ‘Oe, by Charles E. King, a song often sang at funerals, was really the icing on the cake as her hana hou performance. You could hear a pin drop as the audience held their breath as Napua danced. This is pretty amazing because it takes so much energy to sing with a mic and she was singing without a mic and moving gracefully on the stage to an amazing hula.

According to audience feedback, she was one of the hands-down favorite performers for 2020.

# # # # #

Info at www.gardenislandarts.org — “Celebrating 43 years of bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS”

Funding for E Kanikapila Kakou 2020 Hawaiian Music Program is made possible by Hawai’i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program, with support from the County of Kaua’i Office of Economic Development, the Garden Island Arts Council supporters and the Kaua’i Beach Resort. Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Hawai’i State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

13 03, 2020

Week #7 EKK Wrap – March 2 – Napua

2020-09-12T12:41:31-10:00EKK 2020|0 Comments

Go to www.gardenislandarts.org/news for Upcoming 2020 Arts & Culture Calendar or email  giac05@icloud.com to get listing in advance

Mahalo to all who enjoy and support Art and Culture on Kaua’i
Donate by clicking here

Register on AmazonSmile.Org & select Garden island Arts Council to receive .05% of your eligible purchases

Here is the link to EKK on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ekanikapilakakou.kauaistyle/

Who’s Coming Next Week? Monday, March 9

Napua A Smash Hit at E Kanikapila Kakou

 

When Napua first stepped on stage, to the audience she was tonight’s entertainer. By the end of the evening, everyone embraced her as a powerhouse singer, well deserving of the “Female Vocalist of the Year” award, a dutiful daughter with her own mind, an adoring younger sister, a loving mother, a wife, teacher, a wiser politician “no longer”, a strict and bossy kumu hula, a musician who carved a niche for herself in the music world, an engaging story-teller and a lot more.

 

In her inimitable style she filled the stage and worked the audience with her feisty personality, her descriptive stories, her amazing singing, her alluring hula, and her zesty love of life. Accompanied by her fantastic and loyal musicians – Sean Naleimaile, Zanuck Lindsay and Wailau Ryder – she shared an evening of songs that captured the essence of her life.

 

She started with the disclaimer, “I have ADD so I get distracted a lot!” and waved at her friend in the audience.

 

Like other artists who have shared with EKK, she welcomes the opportunity to “tell stories” which makes EKK different from most other gigs; she recalled that when she came for her first EKK gig, she was advised, “We want you to share stories.” And tells stories she does…no holds barred. There is something about the way she tells her stories that makes her so relatable because she speaks the truth and reveals her thoughts in such a spontaneous and unabashed style. “If you like stories, I got stories for days….!”

 

True to proper Hawaiian protocol, artists open their show singing a song about the host island, so they opened by singing Na U’I O Kaua’i. She took the opportunity to introduce her musicians. Sean Naleimaile, her favorite who has been accompanying her for years, truly holds his own on the stage with his unique shoulder moves and tipsy dance steps, and a face so animated, it’s like a barometer of each song. Her cousin Zanuck Lindsey, who is one of those musicians who knows practically every song, accompanied Peter Apo years ago at EKK. Wailau Ryder, who now hails from Maui, is new to EKK and taught his first ‘ukulele workshop tonight.

 

She also did a shout-out to her good friend Troy Hinano Lazaro who brought all his halau dancers to EKK instead of to their weekly hula rehearsal.

As a youngster growing up in a family of musicians, she enjoyed the Sunday brunches at the Maui Intercontinental Hotel in Wailea where her mother entertained on the live broadcast. Her grandmother used to record every single broadcast which included her mom’s young voice singing a love song for her dad. Napua sang My Sweet Sweeting giving the audience a taste of her unique sound and powerful singing style.

 

She’s come such a long way since her first EKK gig in 2008 at Island School cafeteria. At that time she was still trying to figure out her life, having recently divorced with two daughters to raise, no college degree and no real work experience. She had just recorded her first album titled Pihana which she confessed was a really tough process. Being a kumu hula, she knew exactly what to do to prepare her dancers for a hula performance, but the recording studio was foreign ground to her. When her recording engineer was taken aback by her up-country tita language, she told him, “You need to tell me how to do it,” because recording in a studio was a whole different ball game for her. The resulting Pihana album under the tutelage and guidance of Dave Tucciarone is a collection of songs which have become a signature of her personal style.

 

She shared the process she followed to arrive at the final collection of titles. She and her two friends sequestered themselves for a whole week to write the songs. Out of this came Ka’iliwai, a tongue twister song, written by her cousin Manai’akalani Kalua, about Keokaha Homesteads on Hawai’i Island. Now known as Richardson’s, Keokaha is where her mother grew up.

 

Another halau favorite is Lawakua written for her older sister. She is one of those people who has everything so there is really nothing that one can give her. One of the greatest gifts in Hawaiian culture is to write a mele for someone, so it was a no brainer that she would compose a song for this older sister that she admired so much. Since she had already composed a song for her mother Hulu Lindsey after whom her sister was named, Napua wanted her sister to have her own identity so she chose the name Lawakua which means “backbone.” That is what her older sister meant to her. Her Mom constantly reminded her that her sister was the sweet one, just like her cousin Natalie Ai Kamau’u. “It’s not that I’m not sweet; I’m just different!”

 

For 17 years she and her sister worked together with their halau. Like the “good cop, bad cop” concept, she and her sister were known as the “good kumu, bad kumu”. Napua was the bossy one for whom the students dare not try to get out of doing “duck walks.” Napua is great at role-playing so you can see exactly what it was like for a haumana to be interacting with her as a bossy kumu hula.

 

Another funny story is about her family where everyone is a critic about her music, her halau performances, etc., and her younger brother is at the top of the list of critics. He found her version of Ho’ohaehae by Lena Machado “so junk and her voice so irritating.” Just because he said that, she recorded the song on her album for her critic brother and was delighted when his three sons loved the song and wanted him to repeat the song whenever they played the CD in the car. “It’s called ‘karma’, brother!” She invited anyone who knew the hula to come up and dance. “But let’s just make it clear; come up if you know the dance. I’m not asking for any kine interpretive dance … if you do that, you going get a GONG!” Such is Napua’s sense of humor. Like the message in the song, she pointed out that strong Hawaiian women don’t beat around the bush and get their point across loud and clear.

 

Having four albums under her belt, which is a huge accomplishment since her first EKK stint in 2008 at age 34, she has come a long, long way. Now age 46 she has recorded Pihana in 2006, Mohalu in 2009, Lei Kulaia Christmas Album in 2013 and Makawalu in 2017. She took a break from music to run for office before her last recording. This venture she considered her most difficult time in life, not only because of the door-to-door campaigning but because of the frustration of working with people who did not have the ability to see things with a wide vision which is how she previously thought everyone saw the world. Unfortunately, she discovered that many had tunnel vision instead. Hence, her last recording which translates to “Eight Eyes” is an optimistic hope for the future.

 

Ka Malanai Song is a song that started as a chant about winds; songs about winds means the relationship is about to come to an end. Her cousin Kamakoa Lindsey-Asing helped her write words so the song which started as a chant is now a beautiful soaring melody which is really awesome with her falsetto.

Napua talked about the panini cactus flower, which is like a combination of kiwi and watermelon. When compared to people, the panini is “hard to get” and takes a lot of skill and know-how to pick. As children they used to pick it, clean it, bag it, chill it and take it to an appreciative grandmother. Panini Puakea, a song taught to the ‘ukulele circle by Wailau Ryder was presented to the audience by the EKK ‘Ukulele Band; brave students came up on stage to play the song that they learned earlier. After the group finished playing on stage, Napua spotted 10-year-old Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas among the ‘ukulele players and practically pounced on him with adoration. Last year, Kamaha’o was presented as the hana hou number at the “Maui Divas” Concert featuring Napua, Raiatea Helm and Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom. She asked him if he wanted to sing and of course he happily obliged. She also acknowledged her classmate from Kamehameha School Noe Haumea for raising such a wonderful son.

 

Kamaha’o gave a rousing performance of Lepe ‘Ula’ula, asking the musicians to go higher and higher at the end of each verse. Screams of hana hou from the audience prompted him to follow with another rousing falsetto rendition of I’ Ali’i No’oe. Vanessa Punua came up to dance. It’s so great to see her and husband Edward Punua who has to run away from his tax deadlines to take a relaxing night off at EKK.

 

After intermission six lucky persons received great CD albums just for signing in at the door. Clint Ashton was the happy lucky winner of the Kamoa ‘ukulele.

An oversight on my part at the first audience welcome was that I forgot to have our local Hawaiian speaking Brit give the ‘olelo introduction of Napua. Jodi Ascuena came up and delivered her introduction in Hawaiian. She talked about her serendipitous opportunity to see Napua and her halau give a smashing performance to an overflow audience crowded into a tiny museum in Aotearoa. Jodi felt so proud of Napua’s concert.

 

“Our second half is full of friends,” announced Napua as she told kumu hula Troy Hinano Lazaro to get his halau dancers ready to perform since they were missing their weekly rehearsal to attend tonight’s EKK. “I don’t want to be irresponsible for your dancers missing their cardio in preparation for their ho’ike in October.

 

She shared the story of her Merrie Monarch experience when her dancer Manalani Mili Hokoana English won the title of Miss Aloha Hula 2013 as the representative of Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka. Napua sang the song at the Merrie Monarch competition.

 

E Pili Mai by composer Larry Kimura is a song about fire and the cliffs of Makana, a song that Napua loved. However, it had only one verse and she wanted to have three verses so she could use it for the Merrie Monarch entry. She was hesitant about asking her uncle Larry to write two more verses. Her cousin Kamakoa Lindsey-Asing, on the other hand, is more gutsy than Napua is, so he went to ask Larry to write two more verses “and hurry up because she has to submit papers early for Merrie Monarch.” Larry came through with the two additional verses and the result was the beautiful mele about climbing the treacherous cliffs of Makana and tossing the spears of fire from the top of the mountain. Kukuni is the sparks that come out of the fire and new love is intense and constantly sparking with fire. Napua invited anyone who knew all three verses to come up to dance the hula; Kaua’i dancer Mahina Baliaris came up to share her hula.

 

It’s always a treat to see dancers from Troy Hinano Lazaro’s Halau Kapa Hula O Hinano perform and tonight was no exception. They danced the popular Papalina Lahilahi and you can be sure they gained many instant fans among the audience. Napua asked Hinano’s dancer Kekoa to stay on stage and dance Noho Paipai. The three musicians went to town on this lively song. Napua said, “We love the images in our ‘olelo” suggesting the underlying meanings inherent in the rocking chair hula; she even imagined she was getting her first “hot flashes” by watching Kekoa dance.

 

For a change of pace she Introduced her classmate from elementary school and first duet partner from intermediate school, Dunes Awai, with whom she sang a duet, Music To My Eyes, from the movie A Star is Born starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. “We going try try…” said Napua in her proper Maui pidgin. For his hana hou, Dunes sang Waika and Napua slipped out of her high heels and danced the hula. What a sensual dancer!

 

For her first CD Pihana, her record producer David Tucciarone advised her to keep her album to Hawaiian music because that is what would be expected of a kumu hula, but now after her three CD’s and a Christmas album, his advice to her is “sing whatever you like” and she finds that her choice of music now is toward “Country Western.” Born and raised in up-country Maui, it’s no wonder that she has such a love for country music.

 

As a touring artist, she goes on a December tour and misses Thanksgiving with her family. She shared her story about her six-year-old son who, whenever she prepares to go on tour, cups her face in his little hands and tells her, “Mommy, you need to stay here with me on Maui forever.” While she is on tour, she misses him terribly and wants to be home with him, so for this she sang the song Home Is Where the Heart Is. It has been recorded for her next CD but she sang it live for the first time tonight. You could just feel her love for her child as she sang this original song.

 

Just as they honored Kaua’i as their host island for the opening song, they closed their performance with a song from their home island, Kilakila ‘O Maui. With shouts of hana hou, Napua honored the wishes of the audience as her Mom taught her growing up. “If the audience wants a hana hou, you better sing until you can’t sing anymore.” Well taught!

 

‘Imi Au Ia ‘Oe , by Charles E. King, a song often sang at funerals, was really the icing on the cake as her hana hou performance. You could hear a pin drop as the audience held their breath as Napua danced. This is pretty amazing because it takes so much energy to sing with a mic and she was singing without a mic and moving gracefully on the stage to an amazing hula.

 

Once again, the audience held hands and sighed, “Another superb evening!” and they closed the program with Hawai’i Aloha.

 

# # # # #

 

If you have a disability and need assistance for Monday events, email Garden Island Arts Council at giac05@icloud.com.

 

Info at www.gardenislandarts.org — “Celebrating 43 years of bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS”

 

Funding for E Kanikapila Kakou 2020 Hawaiian Music Program is made possible by Hawai’i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program, with support from the County of Kaua’i Office of Economic Development, the Garden Island Arts Council supporters and the Kaua’i Beach Resort. Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Hawai’i State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

24 02, 2020

Week #5 EKK Wrap – February 17 – Kupaoa

2020-09-12T12:41:29-10:00EKK 2020|0 Comments

For Upcoming 2020 Arts & Culture Calendar or email  giac05@icloud.com to get listing in advance

Mahalo to all who enjoy and support Art and Culture on Kaua’i
Donate by clicking here

Register on AmazonSmile.Org & select Garden island Arts Council to receive .05% of your eligible purchases

Here is the link to EKK on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ekanikapilakakou.kauaistyle/

Who’s Coming Next Week? Monday, February 24

Kupaoa Shares a Giant Shot of Aloha

A Thank You Message from Kupaoa:

Aloha Carol,

Mahalo nui for allowing us to come to share our mele, hula, and Mo’olelo at EKK this year! EKK continues to be one of our favorite venues to play and we are so grateful that you continue to include us in your stellar line-ups. Each time we play is a different experience, each one special in its own way. The legacy you have been able to create over the past 37 years with this program is incredible! What a gift you give to both Kaua’i and the musicians who participate in your programming. Mahalo nui for all that you do to support live Hawaiian music and the musicians who make it.

Me ke aloha, Lihau

Always nice to be appreciated by those who gift us with their talent!

Lihau opens the program with, “We’re at our BEST at EKK because of all of you; EKK is definitely a great audience!”

Yes! All the artists who appear on EKK stage agree that the EKK audience is very special because they show their appreciation for the gift of music that all artists share with them. Tonight was no exception.

There is something special that can be said about watching someone “grow up” and that is somewhat the situation with Kupaoa’s connection with EKK. When they first appeared on the EKK stage they were two singles finding their voice together. This year they return as first-time parents to a delightful little girl named Jemma, aka “Kellen, Jr”. Lihau shared a story that an audience member told her — she’s been at every EKK performance by Kupaoa, even back at Island School cafeteria where Kellen (supposedly) proposed to her on stage and she turned him down . . . at least that time. Kellen pointed out that it was more romantic than the actual proposal.

And therein lies some of the Kupaoa stage charm that has entertained us over the years … watching Lihau and Kellen, aka “Mr. and Mrs. Bickerson”, “Sonny and Cher”, each telling his or her own version of the same incident but with very different points of view, is often quite hilarious.

Lihau reminded me that I asked them to participate in EKK 2019 because I always have them in the “odd” years. She begged to hold off until EKK 2020 because they had a new CD in the incubator. That wasn’t all that was in the incubator as they appear on stage this year with 5-month-old daughter Jemma. Another interesting fact is that within their small circle of close music and hula friends, five couples had babies within a two-and-a-half month span. Wonder what they were eating?

When Kupaoa sings Lei Kupukupu by Uncle Dennis Kamakahi, it’s a harmonious gift from heaven. They like this song so much that they taught it to the hula circle and the ‘ukulele circle the last time they did EKK. A song on their second last album, it is the perfect song to show off their great voices. Lihau plays a bass and Kellen is on guitar. They are a handsome couple with Lihau looking elegant and composed in her blue long dress and Kellen in his matching shirt singing with unbridled exuberance. Never mind that baby Paik spit up on her dress just before they came on stage. They face new challenges in this new phase of their life together as the popular singing couple is so much in demand on Hawai’i stages.

Another constant in their performing lives is their long-time connection with the Ke Ala Aumoe Hula Halau who have performed with them on many occasions. Dancers come and go but the two die-hard kumu hula, Frank Kaanana Akima and Eleena Helenihi, are ever-present.

Sweet Moonlight (Kiss Good Night), taught to them by the late Bill Kaiwa, was recorded on their Ho’okele album. Written in the 1800’s by Prince Albert Kunuiakea, the illegitimate son of Kamehameha III who was reputed to be quite a lady’s man, this song gave Frank Akima, who oozes flirtatiousness, a chance to show off how flirtatious he can be when he dances. He flirts with every facial expression, especially his eyebrows, his swaying hips and foot action. The big surprise was when he jumped off the stage and plunked a big kiss on Sandra Rice’s lips. I guess that is why she always sits in the first seat in the first row at every concert. “If someone is going to get that kiss, it had better be me!”

Ke Anu E Ko Mai Nei, which translates to cold, chilling wind, is a beautiful waltz tempo song by Queen Liliu’okalani about her discreet observation of somebody’s love affair in her court. Interestingly, there are some Spanish lyrics in this Hawaiian song. Those Mexican paniolo really get around … fence or no fence.

Kellen and Lihau often play a game called “Random Flip” in which they go through the blue Na Mele songbook, picking a song to explore. One day they realized that one of the songs they often passed over, Kaua I Ka Huahua’i, was a song they actually knew by a different name. In the 1930’s and 1940’s the song known as Hawaiian War Chant with the Big Bang up-tempo beat so popular in Hawai’i. They gave it a try and found out that it was actually a love song; they decided to bring back the love song by slowing down the tempo of the current melody. The original melody has likely been lost over time. Eleena danced the hula to this beautiful love song, but you could still make out the Hawaiian War Chant in it. Written by Lihau’s favorite Na Lani Eha composer, Prince Lelei’ohoku, Kaua I Ka Huahua’i, had some hidden meanings in the interpretation “You and I are here in the spray of mist.”

The story behind the song Sweet ‘Apapane was told in their humorous “Sonny and Cher” style banter. When recording their second album, they had finished 12 songs and needed one more. Kellen described Lihau’s old spiral-bound yellow notebook in which she kept all her notes about songs, ideas … it was basically her notepad where she explored and recorded her thoughts, trials, seeds about songwriting. He asked her if she had anything in the notepad that might work. She said she might have something that she wrote as a 16-year-old about a bird. Kellen’s response was, “A bird? That’s really shallow.” “But since then Lihau has had years of Hawaiian language studies and has become an amazing songwriter.” So Kellen asked her, “Can you give it a polish?”

Lihau worked on it and morphed it into a new song, which they gifted to a very good friend who used to show up at their “Akubon” gig with his guitar, sit in the corner in the dark and sometimes play music with them. Their teacher told them that the greatest gift you can give someone is a song. Kuana Torres Kahele, whose beautiful falsetto voice was likened to that of the ‘Apapane bird in Sweet ‘Apapane was the result. When Kellen first came up with the melody, Lihau was not excited about it, but it became one of the most popular songs on the Ho’okele album. Lihau confessed, “It just goes to show, I’m not always right.” It’s really a sweet song with a catchy melody that beautifully blends Kellen’s high voice and Lihau’s lower register.

Ha’ena was written eight years ago based on the stories shared with them by Frederick “Bruce” Wichman, Jr. who was passionate about capturing everything about Kaua’i, the places, the landscape, the people, in his books – Kaua’i Tales, More Kaua’i Tales, Polihale and other Kaua’i Legends, Kaua’i: Ancient Place Names and Their Stories and Pele Ma: Legends of Pele from Kaua’i. What a great resource to have as a friend. For this song about the north shore, they featured their sweet and sensuous hula dancer Pohaikauilani Campbell; long-time friend of Lihau whose parents are her godparents. Tiny in stature, Pohai is an amazing volleyball player who Kellen first met at the Akubon Restaurant. Kellen shared that “Pohai is the friend who never left,” which for him means a great deal as she wasn’t here one day and gone the next. In fact, she is visiting Kaua’i for a week with her own new baby Mamo.

Wa’a Hokule’a, a song by Larry Kimura about the Hokule’a, the first double-hull sailing canoe that navigated the oceans using only traditional sailing methods and no technology. They wrote it for the captain of the maiden voyage to Tahiti and back, Kawika Kapahulehua from Ni’ihau who really knew the waters well. Often, the focus is on the navigator but the captain is the person they focused on in this song. They came to know him as a native speaker in their Hawaiian language classes at the University of Hawai’i. Frankie and Pohai danced vigorously about the canoe’s maiden voyage.

Lihau wanted to share the story of the next original song which was written 13 years ago at the end of January 2007 and presented on February 1st as a birthday gift for Kellen. They had been dating for a couple of years by then. She had no money to buy Kellen a gift and knowing that there is no greater gift than to write a song for someone, she decided to write a song for Kellen that honored the place he’s from. It’s about the sweet and lasting scent of the Mokihana berry as a metaphor that she could see a lasting future with him. Kellen remembers it as a dark beautiful romantic night with stars. Lihau reminded him that it was daytime when she gave him the song. He recalls it was midnight in Alaska. …and so they spin their separate tales . . .

Lihau also chose to remind Kellen that he has yet to write her a song. His excuse was, “The computer crashed and I lost everything on it.” The other excuse for not writing a song for Lihau is that “words cannot describe what he has to say about her,” which Lihau says is really overused. Over the years their relationship has evolved. So has their music but what remains is their unique “couple’s stage banter” which endeared them to the audience years ago and still is very much a part of their expression that we enjoy so much.

Lei Mokihana, which is on their new album, is a beautiful song from lyrics to melody to the way they harmonize. It speaks of a love that will last like the scent of the Mokihana berry and shows the preciousness of the relationship they share and the abundance of love that they have to share with all of us.

Ka Lei Moana, the title track for the new CD with lyrics by Puakea Nogelmeier and music by Kellen Paik, was written for the Lantern Lighting and Floating ceremony in Honolulu on Memorial Day. The powerful message of the song is that many rivers flow together and become one ocean and is a metaphor for all to come together. Earlier during the hula circle, many dancers learned the chorus of this hula. They were invited to come on stage and perform along with the three halau dancers plus Eleena’s daughter Hi’ilani who had joined the team just for tonight.

The second half of the program began with the weekly CD giveaway to the lucky winners whose sign-in sheets were drawn. CD’s by Ozzie Kotani, Ku’uipo Kumukahi, Makaha Sons, Waipuna and Jeff Peterson will be enjoyed by happy winners from Mexico, Vancouver, Minnesota, Hanalei, Washington and ‘Ele’ele. The winner of the Kamoa ‘Ukulele is Shirleen Palacio of Hanapepe – none other than Bo Kamala’s mother. Bo does the step massage in the back of the ballroom with donations that go to support the Malie Foundation Scholarship fund for kids to attend Punana Leo. Many good things are happening at EKK each week.

Ka Ho’okele, one of their original songs, honors all those who guided them through the years as “steersmen who navigate our way”. They recalled their EKK gig at Island School when half the audience was their huge ‘ohana from Anini. They still all come to support the couple, but their little pond is now as vast as the ocean.

They shared a hilarious story about their paddle boarding excursion up the Kalihiwai River. Lihau became enamored of this river as she did not have the luxury of experiencing the meeting of the river with the ocean where she lived in Honolulu. Kellen’s version is that when you do standup paddle, you don’t stop because when you do, you go off balance and the board turns, so it’s better to keep moving. Lihau, on the other hand, is more about the process rather than the destination so she stops to pick up every red blossoms floating in the river. “The flowers are dead and we can’t eat them so don’t stop to pick them up!” Their friend Pueo Pata, who loves the song Pua Hau ‘Ula, shared with them the life cycle of the hau blossom as it changes from yellow to orange to red; when it’s red, it’s dead. Kellen asked Lihau, “Did you know that? I thought there were two trees…one with yellow flowers and one with red flowers; I didn’t know where the trees with the orange blossoms grew,” to which Lihau pointed out, “Kellen has many talents but botany is not one of them!”

Kellen and Lihau have close ties with the Kilauea Social Club, a community group that performs annually at their Kilauea Christmas concert. On their CD, they sing a song titled Beautiful Sunday which someone learned in Kwajalein island. The song was popularized by a one-hit wonder group in Japan. Kupaoa found it uplifting so they learned the Japanese translation and recorded their own version it on their album. When they performed in Japan, they were really caught by surprise with the audience reaction. Unlike the Hawaiian songs they sang, when they started singing Beautiful Sunday, the place erupted and the entire audience sang along with them.

Evening Song was written by Mark Yamanaka several years ago but he did not record it because he thought it was cheesy. “We like cheesy,” replied Lihau. She asked for just one more verse and go the lullaby route. Perfect timing for this song. Not sure if the song came first as a precursor of what was to come, or if the action came first, but within their small circle of close friends, they have collectively given birth to five babies within a two-and-a-half-month period. Mark’s new-born daughter is the youngest of the five.

When Mark Yamanaka was working on his third CD, he asked Kellen to ask Lihau to write the lyrics for the title track to Lei Lehua. He requested a song with fewer words that would work better for falsetto. Lihau said that songwriting does not work that way, so what she gave him was a song with many lyrics. He put the four verses to beautiful music and recorded it as the title track to Lei Lehua. Happily the final falsetto version was so beautiful that it garnered the “Song of the Year” award at the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. Lihau commented, “Mark’s not always right either.”

Written in the 1950’s by Mary Kawena Pukui and Noelani Mahoe, Hula celebrates the hula. Eleena danced the beautiful hula number with her usual graceful expression. Lihau did a shout out for Fumi and Loui Cabebe of Pua Hina for being their clothing sponsors and always making them look awesome on stage.

In December I asked Frank if he would be doing hula to Puakea Nogelmeier’s Mele Koki when he came to EKK. He assured me that he had already hung up his frog outfit and would no longer be dancing it even if it was everybody’s favorite and their most-requested hula. Kellen said, “Even we can’t get him to do that!” so he was surprised when Frank said he was going to dance Mele Koki as requested by EKK Snowbird Walter Levison who always sits in the first row at every concert. Frank and Walter struck a deal that Walter would have to stick his tongue out every time Frank did, and he also entrusted the continuation of the hula by passing the frog baton to young Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas who was sitting front and center on the floor. This special song, though fun, says that we need to be aware of things that seem harmless but can threaten things we honor and love.

Aotearoa E on the new CD is the result of Lihau’s long love affair with New Zealand. She first traveled there at age 16 and has been back there over 12 times to study as an undergraduate and later for her graduate degree. She even has a hanai family and the names of her sisters and nieces are woven into the song. As a student of the Maori language, she wrote the lyrics and checked her lyrics to be sure it was linguistically and culturally correct; she wanted to honor their music and point out the connection between Maori and Hawaiian music. NZ seems to be far ahead of Hawai’i in their music influences by other genres of song. When they shared the song with their team, the song turned out to be everybody’s favorite.

Bumbye is a song that they like to include in their EKK playlist as its important message is to not take things for granted and do what you need today because tomorrow may be too late; it’s not good to do things “when I get to it because yesterday’s ‘bumbye’ is today!” Frank, Pohai and Eleena danced to this favorite Nogelmeier composition.

The song taught to the ‘ukulele circle, Take Aloha with You, has a message
for the audience, “What we do for others, we get it back ten-fold!” That is perfect not only for EKK but for everywhere in the world. So, as we held hands and sang Hawaii Aloha, we all felt so uplifted by the positive music and actions of Kupaoa and their halau dancers.

# # # # #

If you have a disability and need assistance for Monday events, email Garden Island Arts Council at giac05@icloud.com.

Info at www.gardenislandarts.org — “Celebrating 43 years of bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS”

Funding for E Kanikapila Kakou 2020 Hawaiian Music Program is made possible by Hawai’i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program, with support from the County of Kaua’i Office of Economic Development, the Garden Island Arts Council supporters and the Kaua’i Beach Resort. Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Hawai’i State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

18 02, 2020

Week #4 EKK Wrap – February 10 – Michael Pili Pang

2020-09-15T12:36:40-10:00EKK 2020|0 Comments

For Upcoming 2020 Arts & Culture Calendar or email  giac05@icloud.com to get listing in advance

Mahalo to all who enjoy and support Art and Culture on Kaua’i
Donate by clicking here

Register on AmazonSmile.Org & select Garden island Arts Council to receive .05% of your eligible purchases

Click here for the link to EKK on Facebook

Who’s Coming Next Week? Monday, February 17

A Mesmerizing Jaunt through the Evolution of Hula

 

Michael Pili Pang and the dancers of Halau Hula Ka No’eau Hula Academy held the audience captive as they chanted, danced and told the story of hula as it reflected the life and times of the people of Hawai’i. They were the very embodiment of the EKK 2020 theme – “Mele, Hula & Mo’olelo.” Pili Pang seeks to train dancers to be “smart” rather than only pretty and his touring dancers are exactly that.

 

The first hour was fun for the ‘ukulele circle with Paul Kim and Henry Barrett teaching two songs to the ‘ukulele circle while Michael Pili Pang and his dancers taught a Pa’i Lima (hand clapping) hula to the rest of the audience. The rapid finger motions describing the phases of the moon were really tricky for most but at least we all clapped in unison when it got to the chorus. Kids and sign language speakers picked it up faster. In fact, young Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas, sitting in front of me, was dancing with his fingers…no problem. As soon as Michael finished his lesson, Kamaha’o picked up his ‘ukulele and raced over to the ‘ukulele circle to learn the songs. Next time I looked up, he was standing with Paul and Henry singing Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai. Great to see someone taking it all in.

 

Kawailana, skillfully beating the pahu drum, opened the program chanting the Oli Aloha to welcome everyone. A typical hula protocol asking for permission to enter our space was demonstrated with the chanting of Kunihi Ka Mauna and Oli Komo. Five dancers entered from the back of the auditorium chanting and walking up to the stage.

 

The audience sat transfixed as Pili Pang shared the story of the origin of hula which started on Kaua’i at the Ke Ahu A Laka Keahualaka hula mound on the slopes of Ke’e Beach in Ha’ena with the Godly encounters between Madame Pele, her “human” boy toy Lo’hiau, and Pele’s younger sister, the Goddess Hi’iaka. The first half of the performance was a fascinating revelation of the encounters between Gods and mortals as they acted out their emotions of love, passion, jealousy, anger and revenge.

 

The chanting by Kawailana Pascual was superb, the dancers were top notch and MPP’s narration, often humorous and at times irreverent, guided us through the passionate interactions of the principal players in the hula drama. The “voices” MPP used in conveying the thoughts and actions of Pele and Hi’iaka gave us a present-day context to understand their desires, intentions and actions as he used today’s every-day language to convey their thoughts and actions.

 

Just as the hula dancers asked permission to enter our space, the legend speaks of a stranger to Kaua’i asking for permission to cross the Wailua River. After being ignored repeatedly, she vehemently persisted and was finally acknowledged and granted access, “She’s from the Pele family…hot tempered people … let her pass!” Thus, Pele gained access to Ke’e beach where she first set eyes on the beautiful Lohi’au. Ka Poli Laua’e danced by the five dancers to Kawailana’s powerful chanting told this story of the love affair between the Goddess Pele and the mortal Lohi’au. Being in spirit form, she could not touch Lohi’au, so she went back to Hawai’i Island to get her younger sister Hi’iaka to return to Kaua’i to fetch the handsome Lohi’au. “I will have him for the first three nights and then you can have him after that,” offers Pele. Hi’iaka agrees.

 

The youthful Hi’iaka embarks on her island-hopping journey to do her older sister’s bidding, but finds that she arrived too late because the foolish, Lohi’au, so love-sick with the dream-like image of Pele, hanged himself in his grief. Hi’iaka, being a goddess, had the power to bring Lohi’au back to life by performing Ahi Lele (flying fire) by burning the branches of the Papala tree and catching Lohi’au’s spirit and capturing it in a coconut shell. Ke Ahi Malie, a guttural chant with a unique drumming style and rapid uhe beat steps which originated on Kaua’i, coupled with swift hand and body motion represented the powerful images of the flying fire ceremony performed by Hi’iaka.

 

Because the fire magic ceremony would take Hi’iaka several weeks to complete, they danced 13 chants as a distraction; the dancers did one of the 13 chants to Huli Ke Ao. Hi’iaka successfully restores the mortal Lohi’au to life. She is stunned by his beauty but remembers that Pele had cautioned her not to touch him until after she had spent the first three nights with Lohi’au. After that, he was hers. Hi’iaka had agreed to the arrangement provided Pele looked after her Lehua forest on the Eastside of the volcano and be sure no lava destroyed her forest.

 

Halau Hanalei, a chant that describes the torrential Hanalei rains that occurs infrequently on the north shore like the one that caused much destruction in 2018, describes the conflicting emotions that Hi’iaka is experiencing, wanting to help Pele to get Lohi’au and experiencing her own arousal for Lohi’au.

 

Having left Hawai’i Island as a youth, Hi’iaka was now a young woman experiencing womanly desires for this beautiful man that she has brought back to life. As she prepares for her journey to cross the Ka‘ie’ie Channel between Kaua’i and O’ahu, she experiences ho’ailona, the symbolism or thought in the form of a dream that her friend Hopoi is trying to escape from the lava flow by climbing the trees, together with the sound of gravel-like chattering gossip which convinces her that older sister Pele has not kept her promise to protect Hi’iaka’s Lehua Grove. Embarking on the two-person voyage in the canoe to the chant No Luna I Ka Hale Kai, Michael asked the audience to imagine “what’s going to happen?” with Hi’iaka and Lohi’au alone in the canoe.

 

Hi’iaka finally arrives on Hawai’i Island with Lohi’au and encounters her sister Pele with “You let go of my Lehua trees, so I am going to hug your husband and give him a big kiss!” The ensuing battle between Pele and Hi’iaka was so fierce, raging from the crescent of the volcano down to the plains of Puna; Aia La ‘O Pele chant describes how the heavens lit up with fires that went higher and higher and could even be seen from the island of Maui.

 

So fierce and long was the battle between the two sisters that the Gods had to stop the fighting before they reached the water table as that would destroy everything. Sadly, Lohi’au is the casualty of the battle. The fascinating saga of the romance triangle as it was depicted in chants, kahiko hula and mo’olelo could not have been told with any more clarity.

 

Surprises at EKK are common occurrences as we are often treated to unplanned happenings but tonight pulled the plug out from under me. Michael called me up to the stage to help him and proceeded to read a letter from Kahu Kenneth Makuakane, a frequent presenter at EKK and currently the chair of the “Lifetime Achievement Industry Award” selection committee for the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Artists. (see attached letter at the end of this wrap.) Michael announced to an ecstatic EKK audience that EKK would be the recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2020. The Halau dancers ended the first half of the program with the powerful Hula Ma’i (procreation chant) He Ma’i No ‘Iolani which Michael stated would be appropriate to see that EKK enjoys continued procreation.

 

If the powerful hula kahiko first half kept everyone captive, the light and colorful second half of hula ‘auana was both entertaining and instructive as Michael narrated in English the lyrics of the Hawaiian mele; understanding the fluid moves of the hula choreography became so clear. It was simply wonderful! The stories of the life and times of the people of Hawai’i are captured in hula and chants, but it is not a static thing that sits on the shelf. Rather it evolves with the life and times of the people who create the music and the dance.

 

With the advent of the missionaries and the practices imposed by them onto the Hawaiians, such as teaching them to sing Hymns so they could go to heaven, the music by the Hawaiians changed. Their new topics of dance were the whaling ships, social dancing, people and Hawaiian royalty rather than Gods and Goddesses. The Hawaiians began to sew together their dances into Hula Ku’i, which mean to sew together the stories. Two such Hula Ku’i songs danced in the modern style followed.

 

Ku’u Mai Balota is about the “Ballot” for the first election of Lunalilo in which not everyone was allowed to vote. Michael did the chanting in a guttural style while his three male dancers did a brisk side-kicking hula. Aia Moloka’i Ku’u Iwa with two male dancers and a female dancer was a playful and charming dance about a love triangle on the cliffs of Kalaupapa. The dance alluded to the piecing winds and swordfish stabbing the heart as the two suitors vied for the affection of the beautiful lady. ‘Auana translates to “wandering away” perhaps from working on tasks which did not sit well with the plantation owners and the missionaries, so in 1850, a LAW was passed saying that outside of the two ports in Lahaina and O’ahu there was to be no “congregating” and no, there was to be no hula.

 

In 1893, Hawai’i was taken over by the Americans. Earlier, every Hawaiian could read and write and enjoyed free education and free health. But at the turn of the century, they were forbidden to speak Hawaiian in public. Hula changed. Music changed. The Hawaiian people changed.

 

King Kalakaua was the only world ruler who circumnavigated the globe. As he traveled, he saw that all countries had national dances and Hawai’i had none, so he got rid of the law of 1850 that forbade the dancing of hula and reinstated hula as the national dance for Hawai’i, leaving the legacy of the Merrie Monarch hula festival.

 

Maile Lei by Maddy Lam was written for the Firestone Convention in November 1963. It was the day that John F. Kennedy was shot. The Convention did not happen but the song became a tribute to JKF. The three dancers in long white holoku wearing long strands of brilliant purple leis and green maile leis were visions of beauty and elegance as they danced Maile Lei in the modern ‘auana style. Another Maddy Lam song written together with Mary Kawena Pukui, He Aloha Ku’u Ipo, is a simple song of love. Love affairs and stories that touch people’s hearts were popular in the 60’s and 70’s.

 

Many songs are written about or for the royalty. The mele titled Ka ‘Ulu Ali’i Ni’ihau E hula for Queen Kapi’olani, daughter of King Kaumuali’i of Kaua’i, tells about her visit to Ni’ihau, the secret pao’o water from the fresh-water spring which bubbled out of the hidden clefts in the rock, the sideward-growing sugar cane buried in the sand dunes, and the sacred ‘ulu or breadfruit tree which is planted in a reef hole thirty feet below the ground so the fruit was easily picked at ground level.

 

Another hula ali’i was about King Kalakaua about his travels to the Himalayas. Ia ‘Oe E Ka La (You are the Heavenly Sun) was written by a relative about King David’s trip to the Himalayas warning the King to “tread lightly and be careful who you touch as you are our Monarch; be sure to take a sip from Wai’olu, the Fountain of Youth.”

 

Michael spent a lot of time at the home of his kumu hula Maiki Aiu Lake, wife of Kahauanu Lake, who wrote many songs with Mary Kawena Pukui. He observed that they often argued about how to sing a song. When Michael asked him how they resolved that, Kahauanuu replied, “I married her.” Pua Lililehua is one such song for which there is a play on words; it also means “to be jealous.”

 

To show that tourism was definitely a part of Honolulu, three male dancers looking youthful and spiffy in white pedal pushers and green & yellow aloha shirts danced the energetic Aloha Tower hula. Michael pointed out that because all of Honolulu set their time by the clock on Aloha Tower, when their clock was off, so was everybody else’s in Honolulu. Perhaps that was the start of “Hawaiian Time”.

 

Waikiki means “spouting water” because the water from Manoa flowed down to Waikiki and bubbled up all over Waikiki; salt water ponds all over Waikiki were covered with fragrant Lipoa seaweeds. Once the area where royalty built their “country homes,” Waikiki soon became the tourist hotspot. Waikiki Hula was written for Pualeilani, the Waikiki Home of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole. It was given to Helen Ayat by her mother, a lady-in-waiting to Princess Kahanu, wife of Prince Kuhio.

 

Hapa haole music was first introduced by a group of NY City folks in 1910. When they saw how popular Hawaiian music was at the Pan Pacific Festivals in San Francisco featuring pineapple, sugar cane and hula dancers, these enterprising songwriters who had never been to Hawai’i started selling music sheets with hapa-haole songs and became instant millionaires. Hawaiians caught on quickly and started writing their own hapa-haole songs; these songs defined a distinct period in Hawaiian music. Sunny Cunha’s Hapa Haole Medley showed off the sweet charm and expression of a happy lighthearted period in Hawai’i. The couples dance with the hula girl shaking her uli uli, wearing cellophane hula skirts and plumeria headbands so typical of that period, was so charming.

 

R. Alex Anderson, who lived to be 101 years old, every day wrote a song and placed it in his piano bench. One of his best known songs is the popular Mele Kalikimaka, which is sung worldwide. He also wrote the Punahou School Alma Mater. Dressed in a long flowered holoku, beautiful Kaleo danced another one of his popular hula songs, Lovely Hula Hands. (That was my first hula taught by my kumu hula Helen Kekua.) Three dancers dressed in the long flowered holoku danced Michael’s favorite hula classic, Misty Rains and Lehua (Forever in Love), composed by Kahauanu Lake. These descriptive hula tell stories via dance and are very much a part of Maiki Aiu Lake’s hula style. She started teaching hula at the tender age of 14.

 

Maiki Aiu Lake, who could not write Hawaiian, got her Uncle Claude Malani to help her write Aloha Kaua’i in the 1950’s as a thank you song to the people of Kaua’i who had sent her dancers back to Honolulu with a huge box of maile leis when they performed on Kaua’i. Michael’s amazing “smart” halau dancers – Deborah Ing, Kathryn Kamealoha, Tammi Silva, Kai Paiva, Hokuloa Fortuna and Kawailani Pascual – danced this hula favorite. Joining the hula team for this final hula were Kaua’i dancers Po’ai Galindo, Vern Kauani, Mahina Baliaris and Sabra Kauka.

 

A student of hula master Maiki Aiu Lake, Mae Kamamalu Klein and master chanter Pualani Kanaka’ole Kanahele, Michael brought the fascinating hula tradition to life as he masterfully chanted, narrated, and translated the lyrics of the mele so that even the novice could understand the meaning of the hula movements. The entire evening was a fascinating visual and auditory storyboard that was artistic, emotional, exciting and informative. He took us on a time-and-space travel through the genealogy of traditional hula ku’i.

 

Mahalo Michael Pili Pang!

 

# # # # #

 

If you have a disability and need assistance for Monday events, email Garden Island Arts Council at giac05@icloud.com.

 

Info at www.gardenislandarts.org — “Celebrating 43 years of bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS”

 

Funding for E Kanikapila Kakou 2020 Hawaiian Music Program is made possible by Hawai’i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program, with support from the County of Kaua’i Office of Economic Development, the Garden Island Arts Council supporters and the Kaua’i Beach Resort. Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Hawai’i State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

9 02, 2020

Week #3 EKK Wrap – February 3 – Jerry Santos and Kamuela

2020-09-12T12:41:27-10:00EKK 2020|0 Comments

For Upcoming 2020 Arts & Culture Calendar email  giac05@icloud.com to get listing in advance

Mahalo to all who enjoy and support Art and Culture on Kaua’i
Donate by clicking here

 

Register on AmazonSmile.Org & select Garden island Arts Council to receive .05% of your eligible purchases

Click here for the EKK Facebook page

Who’s Coming Next Week? Monday, February 10

A Match Made in Musical Heaven

 

The morning after the night before, my faithful volunteer Jodi Ascuena, shows up to work just bristling with excitement. She emailed me the night before: “What a spectacular night. I am SO excited, I will NEVVAH sleep tonight, no sirree, not me!” I’m sure that others shared the same elation after Jerry and Kamuela took us on their magical musical journey. I got home with my usual Monday night exhaustion and passed out to deep sleep immediately, but surprise! surprise! When I woke up next morning, what did I find in my computer email? It was a passage definitely written by me but when? I think I wrote it in my sleep and emailed it to myself; here it is:

 

Two consummate musicians and a standing-room-only crowd of adoring fans and new faces eager to become fans is the recipe for an evening of shared experiences that will go down in the books for all present.

 

Starting with Jerry’s distinctive voice that we have all come to love through years of “groupie” attendance at his many gigs and playing our worn-out tapes and CD’s since the early days when Jerry sported long hair and sang with his partner Robert Beaumont and others collectively known as Olomana. Add to that the musical genius of Kamuela Kimokeo on his “aladdin-mat” guitar which can sweep you away with breathtaking riffs that can go on and on forever!

 

What a combination and what a performance as they opened with a multi- pronged medley that took the audience on a journey of songs that layered lyrics and melodies that we all shared through many years and many locations throughout Hawai’i. Starting with “Hawai’i Aloha” and many of our favorite songs which read like a musical anthology of life in the Hawaiian islands through the past five decades. It was a journey that tied us together— young and old, kama’aina and visitors in a musical romp through time and space, experiences and encounters, happy times and sad that make up our collective memories.

-Sent from my iphone

 

Sometimes I surprise myself. I must have been dreaming about the performance.

 

Jerry is known to plan his play list to fit the theme of wherever he is playing and the song selection for EKK was perfect as the duo harmonized brilliantly and spontaneously through familiar titles like Island in the SunHawai’i Aloha, Maikai No Kaua’iPuamanaMaori Brown EyesHoloholo Ka’aPupu A’o ‘Ewa, skillfully woven together hakumele-style into Songs of Old Hawai’i. The songs remind us of the places where we live.

 

Two extraordinary voices – Jerry’s in a lower register and Kamuela’s multi-octave voice gliding up and down with such ease — soaring and filling the entire room from wall to wall with the sounds that have brought us such joy for so many years. Audience applause was tangible evidence that everyone appreciated the music.

 

Both musicians hail from Kahalu’u, the real country scene five miles past Kane’ohe. In the 1950’s many families moved to windward O’ahu, far away from the frantic crowded Honolulu scene. Waiahole Elementary School, which is 160 years old now and still standing, was where youngsters attended public school. If the school lunch was junk, they just went to the river to swim. One road in, one road out … this idyllic life-style was good for a kid growing up in the early 1970’s. Many residents so fondly remember similar experiences.

 

Having grown up in the then unappreciated luxury of laid-back rural life, is it any wonder that when Jerry ventured out to spread his wings in San Francisco with its uphill streets, flats with many stairs and broken heaters, he experienced that yearning for his home . . . a home that then felt like a dream. He sat down and wrote a song for his sister who chose to live close to home. It’s a song about the way people and places change. The resulting Ku’u Home O Kahalu’u made a big impact on Hawaiian music as it bridged the gap between contemporary and traditional Hawaiian music and had far reaching effects among musicians when it first came out. It is still making an impact as a song that defines that indescribable yearning and remembrance that “keiki o ka ‘aina” have for their small-kid time home which they carry in their hearts no matter how far they travel out into the world. Project KULEANA assembled a fantastic slate of musicians to create a musical montage of artists sharing their love of this place called home.

 

Kamuela Kimokeo, the musical director of Windward Community College, has been to EKK before with the musical group Hi’ikua and even during the early days at Island School cafeteria. An excellent teacher as those in the ‘ukulele circle will agree, he designs the music programs at the college where he greatly impacts the matriculation of many aspiring young musicians who are beginning to take the stage with their teachers. His in-house program for the students and the community is similar to EKK where he exposes the learners to many of Hawai’i’s musical resources, including Jerry Santos.

 

Growing up with the backdrop of Ko’olaupoko, Kamuela loves living in Kane’ohe. With the happiest grin on his face and his amazing fingering on his guitar, he sang Kane’ohe like it was a love song . . . a love song for a place called home. Abby Kong and Johnny Noble commemorated the installation of electricity at Kane’ohe tied in with a delightful love affair in windward O’ahu.

 

Kamuela says college students enjoy songs of love. Sweet Someone by Baron Keyes and Isham Jones’ It had to be You, an old favorite performed by many and made famous by Frank Sinatra, were two love songs that they integrated into one. Pretty awesome.

 

Jerry’s home turf musically has for the past 28 years been Hilton Hawaiian Village. The great part of keeping the same venue is that whenever folks are in Honolulu, they know which night to go where to catch Jerry’s Music. Jerry shared that often Aunty Genoa Keawe would stop by at his Hawaiian Village venue on her way home from her own gig, and when invited to sing a song, often ended up playing a whole set. I’ve been there and luckily experienced Aunty Genoa singing with Jerry on more than one occasion. Together Jerry and Kamuela are now regulars at Aulani Disney Resorts on the other side of the Island.

 

Songwriter, composer, pianist and singer Bob Nelson, who stood taller than anyone else, was also a frequent visitor to Jerry’s regular gigs. With that they sang his most popular song Hanalei Moon, a hula favorite that brought many dancers up to the stage – Vern Kauanui, Elena Gillespie, Mahina Baliaris, Fern Merle-Jones, Firipi Salas, Momi Thacker, Ihi’ihi Kaneali’i, Madeleine Guyett, Holly Namaka Lindsay and Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas. Even volunteers Mizu Sumida, Jodi and Victor Ascuena were doing their own version of Hanalei Moon at the volunteer tables. Kamuea could make the sounds of the steel guitar on his regular guitar.

 

During sound check I asked Jerry if he can do a short video interview. “No need be long . . . just short kine is fine.” His tongue-in-cheek response was, “Are you asking a Portugee to talk only short kine?”

 

Jerry is a master of mo’olelo; his stories are colorful, fascinating and endless. He shared one story about his Kaua’i encounter with the supernatural. A product of the plantation and the youngest of nine children to a mother born in Mana and a dad from Hawai’i Island who later lived many years on Kaua’i, Jerry learned throughout the years that he has more Kaua’i ‘ohana under the ground that above the ground. He learned that many of them who lived in the 1930’s and 1940’s, including his own grandparents, now reside in the Hanapepe Filipino cemetery located on the bluff above the ocean in Port Allen. So, on his visit to Kaua’i, he decided to do some clean up at the cemetery during the cool hours of the setting sun. As he was getting ready to leave, he noticed little lights popping up in the cemetery. “Okay, I not bothering anybody! I going home now! Thank You!” he nervously called out. More and more lights, some in red and green, started popping up all over the graveyard. He discovered that residents were placing little solar lights near the tombstones that gathered sun energy all day and started popping up as the sun went down.

 

“Thank you, Cindy Combs!” called out Jerry as he and Kamuela launched into I Love Kaua’i, truly a perfect sentiment for residents of this incredible island called home. Just as he and Kamuela had to learn how to appreciate their home in the Kane’ohe area by going away, many Kauaians have learned the gift of home that is called Kaua’i. Lizzy Alohikea’s Nani Kaua’i gave Kamuela a chance to show off his vocal range while Jerry translated lyrics of the songs. Po’ai Galindo and Sabra Kauka did not miss the opportunity to dance to this favorite hula song.

 

They topped off the first half with three more beautiful love songs in English – In Your Hawaiian WayMa’ane’i Mai ‘Oe, and E Ku’ulei E Ku’uipo.

 

After intermission, audience members who took the time to fill out the attendance sheet had a chance to win CD’s from Mark Yamanaka, Ozzie Kotani, Makaha Sons, Jeff Peterson, George Kahumoku, and Kupaoa. All great albums from our favorite musicians. The Kamoa ‘ukulele was won by one elated Sandy Menasche who lives part-time in Princeville and part time in Washington state. She was simply beside herself with joy; so wonderful to witness such appreciation. Thank you, Kamoa!

 

Jerry and Kamuela started the second half with another medley of favorites perfect for their voices and for showing off their amazing guitar accompaniment – SeabirdHome, and Kanaka Waiwai – songs sung by many that have become an important part of Hawaiian standards.

 

E Ku’u Sweet Lei Poina’ole composed by Emma De Fries was one of the songs that they taught to the ‘ukulele circle; they invited the students to get out their instruments and play along as they harmonized. Jerry’s close friend and mentor, Emma captured in the lyrics of her song the importance of making and giving leis as it carries significant meaning for the giver and receiver of the lei. Kumu hula Susan Floyd and Fern Merle-Jones were joined by members of “Halau Hula Na Lei Kupua O Kauai” from Princeville in a beautiful group hula; you could see the influence of their Hula Loea Frank Kawaikapu’okalani Hewett in their hula choreography. Lady Ipo and Vern Kauanui also shared the hula.

 

Audience participation is always a treat at EKK; when Jerry spotted his long-time friend, the fabulous Lady Ipo dancing the hula, he quickly ventured, “You like sing one song for us?” Lady Ipo joined them on the stage and jumped right into the action with The Breeze and I in her relaxed bluesy style. “Don’t tell anyone Lady Ipo was here; she supposed to be singing somewhere else!” said Jerry.

 

Another audience participation treat was in store for all as Kamuela and Jerry started talking about having seen a young Kaua’i singer on Facebook performing on the stage with other heavy hitters such as “Na Palapalai.” Jerry asked, “You like come up and sing with us?” inviting young Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas who has become an EKK regular. His Mom shared that he has marked his Mondays on his calendar with EKK because he loves learning new songs in the ‘ukulele circle. And we have been fortunate to be able to see him sing and dance the hula much to the surprise of many in the audience. In introducing Kamaha’o, Kamuela’s quirky humor spills out, “I love it and hate it when we perform with these amazing young generation singers because we suddenly become invisible … we disappear like David Copperfield. In a few seconds, Jerry and I will fade away into the background and disappear ….” Kamaha’o must have quite a repertoire of falsetto songs as tonight he sang Wai’alae and Waikoloa. As usual, the stunned crowd was screaming hana hou! hana hou!

 

When they decided to sing Leahi, Kamuela offered, “Let me tell you a story.” He, too, is an amazing storyteller, sharing the hidden meaning in what looks like innocent Hawaiian lyrics, but with his colorful tongue-in-cheek interpretation of each line, Leahi took on a whole different meaning. It also helped us to understand the catchy rhythm of the song and why they sing it with that guttural Gabby Pahinui growl. The composer, Mary Pula’a Robbins, uses the lyrics in her song to let her husband, the caretaker of the Diamond Head Lighthouse, know that she knew of his “extracurricular activities” in the lighthouse. “You should have been more careful about the ‘buoy with the bell’; you swam too close to the wrong buoy and now you and I are headed for the reef … don’t let the door hit you on your way out! Goodbye for us, My Love!” Touche! She wielded her sword and cut to the chase.

 

In the same mood, the duo got into the catchy rhythm of Tewe Tewe; Ihi’Ihi Kaneali’i came up to dance her sit-down hula and it doesn’t take a long explanation to show that this was a fun but naughty song. A couple of times her hula action even stopped Kamuela’s guitar-strumming dead in its track as he dropped his jaws and watched Ihi’ihi’s hula story-telling.

 

The whole evening was a gift of appreciation about what we enjoy in this place called home. For their final number, they shared a song of love and appreciation which was taught to the ‘ukulele circle — Ka Na’i Aupuni. Hawai’i Aloha once again brought the evening to a close with all joining hands and singing together.

 

# # # # #

 

If you have a disability and need assistance for Monday events, email Garden Island Arts Council at giac05@icloud.com.

 

Info at www.gardenislandarts.org — “Celebrating 43 years of bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS”

 

Funding for E Kanikapila Kakou 2020 Hawaiian Music Program is made possible by Hawai’i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program, with support from the County of Kaua’i Office of Economic Development, the Garden Island Arts Council supporters and the Kaua’i Beach Resort. Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Hawai’i State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

2 02, 2020

Week #2 EKK Wrap – January 27 – Papakolea Serenaders

2020-09-12T12:41:27-10:00EKK 2020|0 Comments

For Upcoming 2020 Arts & Culture Calendar email giac05@icloud.com to get listing in advance

Mahalo to all who enjoy and support Art and Culture on Kaua’i
Donate by clicking here. 

 

Register on AmazonSmile.Org & select Garden island Arts Council to receive .05% of your eligible purchases

 

Click here for the EKK Facebook page. 

 

What a Treat! Papakolea Party Night Was a Blast!

 

Parting shots from the audience: “Tonight was the BOMB! Now how are you going to top that?” “OMG! What an experience! An authentic Hawaiian party!”

 

Yes! The “Papakolea Serenaders” delivered nothing short of a real backyard jam … all that was missing was the fish, salt and day-old poi! Not for the performers as they were gifted with salt from Nathan and poi from Steve . . . real Kaua’i welcome!

 

The usual ‘ukulele lesson was not the usual little circle tucked in the back of the ballroom; the ‘ukulele aficionados sat right up front in the white plastic chairs and were treated to the dynamic ‘ukulele instructions of Cory Mau, ‘ukulele teacher for Roy Sakuma and music instructor from Kamehameha Schools, backed up by the entire Papakolea band. When the students played their final version of Wahine U’i by John K. Almeida and Aloha Week Hula by Jack Pitman, they collectively sounded like a serious ‘ukulele band at Roy Sakuma’s ‘Ukulele Festival. That was treat #1!

 

All cousins, related through their grandparents, the artists on stage at EKK were just the tip of the musical iceberg from the Papakolea Family Band. If all 26 of them had showed up, the stage would have collapsed. Growing up on the slopes of the Punchbowl Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Papakolea Hawaiian Community, all four generations of this extended ‘ohana grew up playing music on pakini, fiddles, saxophones, piano, ‘ukulele, guitars and every other instrument, dancing hula, sharing stories in ‘olelo Hawai’i. Many of them are multi-instrumentalists who can easily switch from ‘ukulele to upright bass to Hawaiian piano to dancing as they did tonight. They are known to party all night forming duos, trios, quartets as the moment moved them.

 

I asked Puka Asing, their leader, “Don’t the neighbors complain?” “No, the neighbors are all playing music, too!” “Don’t the police show up to shut you down?” “No, never!” What a wonderful place to grow up and become immersed in learning to sing, play and dance . . . truly kanikapila Hawaiian style. And this is what they shared with us tonight.

 

No stranger to Kaua’i, Puka’s group participated in the Kaua’i Mokihana Festival back in 2003, 2004 and 2005 when the hula judges included notables such as Ilei’aloha Beniamina, George Holokai, Wayne Panoke, and others who are no longer with us. Puka acknowledged Uncle Nathan Kalama, one of the founders and long-time coordinator of Kaua’i Mokihana Festival. Now under the auspices of the Malie Foundation, they gave EKK a great Community Hula Night last week to start the program.

 

Other members of the group included Jonah Kahanuola Solatorio, one-third of the award-winning trio Keauhou who I have been courting for EKK participation for easily five years. He is a Hawaiian language teacher at Kamehameha Schools which he says is hard work but very rewarding. Puka shared a tip that Kahanu and his Mom, every morning at 5:00, put on a hilarious Hawaiian language/exercise program on Instagram titled E Ho’opili Mai. Must check this out!

 

Cory Poliahu Mau, cousin to Puka by way of their sibling grandmothers, is a teacher at Kamehameha Schools. We already had a taste of his skillful teaching style during the ‘ukulele hour. His focus with his students is how they can contribute back to their community. A truly lofty and admirable goal for a teacher of youth.

 

Taneesha Hi’ilani Asing, the youngest of their family of eight siblings, Taneesha is a graduate of Punahou “Buff and Blue” and a Hawaiian studies student at UH Manoa College of Education and hopes to return to her alma mater as an elementary school teacher. By day she is a teacher; by night she is a musician. With her amazing musical ability, her students will be very fortunate to have her as their teacher.

 

Eddie Punua, one of Kaua’i’s greatest musical treasures is a very accomplished steel guitar player, who took a night off to share his talent at EKK. A former student of steel guitar master Atta Isaacs while working toward his business degree at the University of Hawai’i in Manoa, Eddie tabled his CPA tax commitments to be part of this wonderful EKK party. His wife kumu hula Vanessa was also present.

 

“Take a Visit to Papakolea with Us!” was like a giant musical wave that swept the audience off their feet. Cousin Jonah Kahanu started out with his song titled Kewalu Uka. What pipes he has! Puka and sister Taneesha demonstrated their rapid-fire double-strum licks which originally came from tapping the beat on the back of the ‘ukulele. Strumming in unison, their hands were a blur. They moved seamlessly through a medley of songs —
Pauoa Liko Ka LehuaMoloka’i Nui A HinaMauna Loa and Hula O Makee with Eddie’s awesome steel guitar pa’ani blending all the instruments. This is what I call “Power Singing and Great Harmony!” The audience was collectively foot-tapping and shoulder-swaying as they kept time with the contagious music.

 

Puka said their second set would demonstrate ‘ohana-kine action which translated to yet another “round robin” among the artists. The longest round robin Puka was in many years ago was with Ainsley Halemanu and Kekoa Fernandez when the artists sang non-stop for two-and-a-half hours. Not too shabby. Tonight’s medley would focus on hapa-haole music, taking advantage of Eddie’s steel guitar virtuosity.

 

Puka and Taneesha started off with Aloha Week Hula, one of the songs taught to the ‘ukulele circle; they wow’ed everyone with their distinctive double-strum. Jonah launched into a lively Sophisticated Hula; beautiful Vanessa Punua could not resist swinging her hips to the sassy beat of this hapa-haole song. Puka followed with the old-time favorite Little Grass Shack, a popular hula that all young hula dancers learn early in their hula training; it’s also a very popular number that visitors experience at local lu’au events. Taneesha gave her own special rendition of another visitor favorite Hukilau. Eddie went to town on the steel guitar pa’ani adding that special old-time sound so much a part of the hapa-haole music. The band wrapped up the lively non-stop music with Papakolea.

 

Following the intermission, CD’s from our favorite artists were given out to six lucky persons who took the time to sign the participants survey. The big give-away of the evening was, of course, the Kamoa ‘ukulele. Surprise! Surprise! Who won the ‘ukulele tonight? None other than our favorite EKK volunteer Victor Ascuena . . . whoops of joy and happiness from all the volunteers who could not think of a more deserving winner of the ‘ukulele.

 

Puka took the opportunity to share information about the historical background of a special musical event scheduled for March 21, a collaboration with GIAC and the hula halau of Leina’ala Pavao Jardin. The Hawaiian Sovereign String Band was formed recently to focus attention on the early popularity of the Royal Hawaiian Troubadours known for their stringed instruments music during the Hawaiian Kingdom. Martin ‘Ukulele designed and made a special guitar for Major Kealakai, musician, composer and conductor of the Royal Hawaiian Band, which went on to influence many of the musical greats of the time. The outcome of this resurgence of interest in this significant period of Hawaiian music is a mini-orchestra including some of Hawai’i’s top musicians. We are fortunate to have a chance to host this group on Kaua’i.

 

The second half of the evening was a ramped-up continuation of the lively first half and took on more of the party atmosphere so typical of Hawaiian backyard parties. Puka introduced it as the FUN Join-in set and started off with the popular Pupu Hinuhinu about the shells that are gifted by the sea. Jonah gave an awesome falsetto version of the beautiful Hawaiian Island mele titled Kalapana. What a chicken skin performance!

 

Shifting gears Puka asked two well-known tutu to come up to the stage to do the hula. Second cousins Ihi’ihi Kaneali’i and Kamala Mersberg, related through their grandfathers who were brothers, sat at the edge of the stage with their legs dangling down doing a hula noho. Hand motions suggesting the lyrics, they treated us to the underlying story with their flirtatious eyebrows, sensuous shoulder shrugs, torso swaying ever so slightly as Cory Mau delivered Ke Aloha composed by Aunty Lei Collins, curator of the Hulie’e Palace on Hawai’i Island.

 

Inviting more audience participation was accomplished by singing songs that everyone had to know since small kid time, and sure enough, everyone joined in loud and clear to You Are My SunshineTiny BubblesMary Had A Little Lamb and Itsy Bitsy Spider, complete with hand motions.

 

Puka shared some background on the Leo Ki’eki’e style of singing. One needs to master the ha’i which is the breaking of the voice in a smooth nahenahe style of singing. To demonstrate he invited young 10-year-old Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas from Anahola to come to the stage. He started with I Ali’i No ‘Oe, Jonah and Vanessa could not resist the chance to dance the hula. Puka whispered to Kamaha’o who ramped up the speed; the hula dancers did the same. Although many present had been treated to Kamaha’o’s performance last week with the Malie Foundation Community Hula Night, there were enough new faces at EKK tonight that we could hear the same surprised collective “gasp” when the high falsetto voice came effortlessly out of Kamaha’o. As he sings, his hand unconsciously goes into hula mode because he’s as good a hula dancer as he is a vocalist.

 

Puka moved to the stand-up bass, Cory moved to the piano, and Jonah took on the ‘ukulele to accompany Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas with two amazing renditions of Mauna Kea and ‘Ulupalakua. The audience stood up shouting hana hou! Hana hou! Puka asked everyone to join in on Hawai’i Aloha, a sign that the evening was coming to its end. Not surprisingly, no one was ready to leave and continued to mill around and shout hana hou, hana hou . . . waiting for a hula from Kamaha’o.

 

“We have to catch the plane home or the students will have no teachers tomorrow,” begged Cory, but to appease the many lingerers, the artists did another musical instruments as Puka moved to the piano, Cory moved back to the upright bass, and Jonah took on the vocals for the hula favorite Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai by Hawai’i island composer Aunty Edith Kanaka’ole. Kamaha’o, who was not only an unbelievable singer, launched into his delightfully sassy hula, owning the stage with his flirty eyebrow-raising and hip-swinging hula moves; his smile showed that he was enjoying every minute of his hula. Elena Gillespie, Vanessa Punua and Mahina Baliaris joined in on the hula. Nobody was heading to the door but kept milling around near the stage and would not quit with their shouts of hana hou!

 

The Serenaders launched into one final hula number – Papalina Lahilahi – which brought many dancers up to join Kamaha’o, including Jonah Solatorio, Puka Asing, Donna Stewart, Andy Hamano, Po’ai Galindo, Vanessa Punua, Ihi’ihi Kaneali’I, Mahina Baliaris, Momi Thacker and Keahi Manea. That made the party a real party. What a fun evening!

 

Anyone planning a lu’au should consider the Papakolea Serenaders for the entertainers. No guarantee who will show up, but with 26 talented multi-instrumentalists/vocalists to choose from, you know you will have it covered.

# # # # #

 

If you have a disability and need assistance for Monday events, email Garden Island Arts Council at giac05@icloud.com.

 

Info at www.gardenislandarts.org — “Celebrating 43 years of bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS”

 

Funding for E Kanikapila Kakou 2020 Hawaiian Music Program is made possible by Hawai’i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program, with support from the County of Kaua’i Office of Economic Development, the Garden Island Arts Council supporters and the Kaua’i Beach Resort. Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Hawai’i State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

27 01, 2020

Week #1 EKK Wrap – January 20 – Community Hula Night

2020-09-12T11:48:44-10:00EKK 2020|0 Comments

For Upcoming 2020 Arts & Culture Calendar email  giac05@icloud.com to get listing in advance

Mahalo to all who enjoy and support Art and Culture on Kaua’i
Donate by clicking here. 

 

Register on AmazonSmile.Org & select Garden island Arts Council to receive .05% of your eligible purchases

 

Click here for the EKK Facebook page.

 

Who’s Coming Next Week? Monday, January 27

 

Community Hula Night Embraces, Inspires, Celebrates – What a Way to Start the EKK 2020 Season!

2020 started on January 1, but for me the new year started with the first night of EKK, celebrating the Community Hula night. In the weeks leading up to the first Monday, many emails, text messages, notes in the mail from our many EKK supporters asking for the EKK line-up of artists, asking to sign up as EKK patrons … all of these communications coming in from many started to build the buzz that accompanies the first night of the much-anticipated EKK season. My “101 Things To Do” check list seemed insurmountable, but all the encouragement from our participants kept me on track.

 

Malie Foundation does not disappoint; they take on the production and presentation of Community Hula Night with the usual creative thinking and excellent execution. They contacted their Facebook followers with a colorful poster sharing that four kumu hula – Uncle Nathan Kalama, Aunty Bev Muraoka, Vanessa Punua and Aunty Puna Kalama Dawson – would be teaching hula to four eager groups of dancers. During the first hour, all hula dancers present were given the opportunity to learn a hula from one of the kumu, regardless of their regular halau affiliation. Everyone diligently learned and rehearsed in the very short workshop they had.

 

While participants in the four hula circles concentrated on learning an entire hula in 45 minutes, all the loyal EKK supporters, snowbirds, new faces from Kaua’i, the continent and other countries were running about greeting old friends and making new friends with leis, hugs, kisses . . . the usual aloha-fest of friends so happy to see each other.

Feedback from my volunteers reinforced the wisdom of starting with the Community Hula Night as I got comments such as, “We should start with Community Hula Night every year; it’s like a huge party with everyone so happy to be there!” “Wow! Opening night was so wonderful I could not go to sleep after I got home; it was such a ‘high’ with so much going on and so many surprises!”

 

Onio Punzal called everyone to come together by sounding the pu. Carol welcomed all the guests from near and far and acknowledged the loyal EKK supporters. Maka Herrod, charismatic director of the Malie Foundation began the program with Hawai’i Ponoi and the Doxology. He introduced the amazing “Kaua’i Pop-up Band” comprised of Eddie Punua on steel guitar, Anuhea Herrod on upright bass, Haunani Kaui on guitar, Kunane Aipolani on Hawaiian piano and Chanel Flores and Maka on ‘ukulele. Puna Dawson, Jeremy and Aimee Brown joined the band for the first portion. What fabulous vocals and accompaniment!

 

Kumu Hula Puna Kalama Dawson invited her dancers to the stage; although only 25 – 30 dancers were brave enough to come up to dance to Sweet Ka Makani, many more participants earlier took the opportunity to learn from her expertise. Puna is highly respected for organizing major cultural hula events with halau followers in Hawai’i, Japan, Europe and wherever she has hula followers. Puna is a force of nature.

 

The audience called for a hana hou performance from Puna’s group. She called 95-year-old Betty Wiechhart, the oldest member of her halau, to come to the stage. She was joined by eight of Puna’s haumana. What followed was an unexpected and very moving performance of the somber pule ‘O ‘Oe ‘Io. Maka sent this number out to the families of the two police officers who were killed in the line of duty at the horrendous fire in Hawai’i Kai the day before. Sadly, one of the two officers, Kaulike Kalama, was Puna Kalama Dawson’s nephew.

 

Vanessa Punua, taught an upbeat hula titled Hula Breeze, a popular hapa-haole hula reminiscent of cellophane skirts and the sweet sound of the steel guitar. As a haumana of her mother-in-law, the late Ku’ulei Punua, Vanessa loved the stories told to her about the days when Ku’ulei danced in Waikiki as one of the Kent Gerard “Hula Nani Girls” to the music of Alfred Apaka and other Hawaiian Music greats of that era. While there were many dancers in Vanessa’s hula workshop, only 13 of them were brave enough to come up to the stage for the mini-hoike. The performance was really special as Eddie Punua, our resident steel guitar expert and husband of Vanessa, set the tone of the hapa-haole hula with the sweet strains of his steel guitar. The big surprise was his vocal rendition of the hula mele in a voice reminiscent of the vocalists in the days of Hawai’i Calls. As their hana hou number, Eddie sang the popular Nawiliwili to the sound of his steel guitar and backed up by the other eight members of the band. Vanessa and her haumana gave a zesty performance of that popular song.

 

Kumu hula Bev Muraoka called up her group of 22 dancers to share her song titled Lili’u E honoring the last Queen Liliu’okalani. It was a challenging number as her kumu alakai, Laola Rapozo, chanted the kahiko version while keeping the beat on the ipu heke as the dancers performed kahiko hula of each verse; alternately, Beverly led the group in the ‘auana version of the song. Very skillfully the dancers switched back and forth from the chanting to the singing. Such a rare treat to see a number performed in this manner. Huge applause and calls for hana hou. Six of Aunty Bev’s haumana and several other dancers in the audience followed with the mele hula to the beautiful Po La’i La’i.

 

Uncle Nathan’s hula group was comprised of only intermediate to advanced dancers; they performed seven selected verses from Nathan’s original chant of 14 verses written in honor of the late Dana Olores who passed away a year ago. When Dana, Nathan’s first hula student, bought a new truck, they decided to put the truck to a test by driving from Hanalei, around the island, all the way to Koke’e. Each verse of I Ka Malie lauded the special feature of each of 14 stops around the island. At a rest stop in Wailua, Nathan pointed out a cloud formation in the sky which Dana said looked like a former Miss Kaua’i, Kapiolani Toledo. Thus her name became associated with this chant.

 

Nathan shared a funny story about this chant. He was later invited by the owner of the Toledo Dairy to perform this number for a baby lu’au in Oahu. The lu’au was a “first” for Nathan as the food served on chinaware with fork and knife was comprised of a small square of lomi salmon, one tomato and a slice of onion. Something new every day!

 

For his hana hou number, Nathan called his “Golden Girls” haumana from halau N? K?puna O Kalamaolaimaluhialani, comprised of Polei Palmeira, Manulele Dudoit, Arlene Kon, Nani Rogers, Barbara Say, Haulani Fernandez and Bev Muraoka. They performed Nani Ka’ala to the beat of the ipu heke and Nathan’s chant which took us from Mount Ka’ala to Nu’uanu, over the pali to Kailua, Kaneohe, He’eia, Waihole to Waikane and finally the ha’ina verse. It was about a very busy woman who had a lot of “activity” at every stop and every “activity” was chock-full of kaona (hidden meanings) which were very evident in each dancer’s hula moves.

 

During the intermission, CD’s from many favorite artists were given away to lucky attendees who filled out their registration survey, and the lucky winner of the Kamoa ‘ukulele drawing was Jerry Jackson of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. He was one happy man!

 

The second half of the evening was a wonderful and playful hula free-for-all where any and all dancers could step up to the stage to dance to the many hula favorite songs requested by the audience. The audience really know their hula favorites as song after song were irresistable to the many dancers in the audience who came up from the audience to share their own hula stylings to the chosen songs.

 

First on the play list was Kipu Kai about the elusive beach front home of the late Charlie Rice and his hanai sons, Bill Kaiwa and Kama Yim. Vanessa Punua and her haumana were quick to step on the stage for this beautiful song sung by Eddie. Chanel Flores followed with Hula O Makee, about the tragic loss of Captain Makee’s boat which sank just outside of the shores of Kapa’a, was performed by four hula dancers with four very different choreography to that hula favorite.

 

Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai, called the seaweed song, is really one of the most popular hula numbers as eight dancers including many of our favorite resident hula dancers – Blaine Sasaki, Holly Namaka Lindsay, Elena Gillespie, Mahina Baliaris — and several other new faces went up to the stage for this very happy song. A big surprise was young Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas who not only kept up with the veteran dancers but really was a stylistic stand-out on the stage.

 

Vocalist Chanel Flores sang the always popular Hanalei Moon. Sixteen hula dancers were up to the stage, and not surprisingly, we were treated to sixteen different choreography of this hula. The sweet sound of the steel guitar enhanced the romantic strains of this beautiful song. From the smiles on the faces of all the dancers you could tell they all felt beautiful.

 

Steel guitarist Eddie Punua sang a fast-paced hapa-haole favorite called Sophisticated Hula; seven sophisticated ladies showed off their hula moves to Eddie’s beautiful singing.

‘Ulupalakua, a swift song about the rolling ranch lands on the slopes of Haleakala brought up young Kamaha’o Haumea-Thronas and Hi’ilei Berg, tiny tots with fascinating hula moves. If their hula was not show-stopping awesome, the audience was blown away when young Kamaha’o stepped up to Maka’s microphone and started to belt out Papalina Lahilahi in his amazing falsetto. The surprised audience went wild with shouts of hana hou, so Kamaha’o obliged with his unbelievable rendition of ‘Alika. You could hear the audience gasp when he started to sing. Where does that sound comes out from; he is a tiny slip of a boy with a sophisticated stage presence and a voice that goes on and on and on.

Of course, no performance is complete without the Maka magic, so Aunty Bev took care of that by calling on Maka to do the Rocking Chair Hula or Noho Paipai. Aunty Bev followed with Show Me How to do the Hula.

 

Aloha Mokihana, a Kaua’i favorite sung by Eddie Punua invited eight dancers to the stage; Beautiful Kaua’i, another Kaua’i favorite sung by Chanel Flores, brought 13 dancers to the stage. Chanel followed this with For the Lahui danced by Maka Herrod. All too soon, the time ran out and everyone reluctantly called it an evening. An unforgettable evening.

 

Maka and Chanel closed with a powerful song of solidarity followed by Hawai’i Aloha so everyone could stand together and sing their favorite finale song to close a wonderfully mad and exciting evening of hula sharing. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience.

 

# # # # #

 

If you have a disability and need assistance for Monday events, email Garden Island Arts Council at giac05@icloud.com.

 

Info at www.gardenislandarts.org — “Celebrating 43 years of bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS”

 

Funding for E Kanikapila Kakou 2020 Hawaiian Music Program is made possible by Hawai’i Tourism through the Community Enrichment Program, with support from the County of Kaua’i Office of Economic Development, the Garden Island Arts Council supporters and the Kaua’i Beach Resort. Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Hawai’i State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

10 12, 2019

EKK Lineup 2020

2019-12-10T16:51:10-10:00EKK 2020, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Garden Island Arts Council announces EKK 2020 Line-Up

“Mele, Hula & Mo’olelo”

Ten Mondays at the Kaua’i Beach Resort

Monday, January 20, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Malie Foundation Community Hula Night

Monday, January 27, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Papakolea Serenaders

(Puka Asing, Taneesha Asing, Cory Mau, Jonah Solatorio)

Monday, February 3, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Jerry Santos & Kamuela Kimokeo

Monday, February 10, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Michael Pili Pang & Halau – The Story of Hula in Songs

Monday, February 17, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Kupaoa & the Ke ‘Ala Aumoe Dancers

Monday, February 24, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

NUE – Na ‘Ukulele ‘Ekolu

(Bryan Tolentino, Kama Hopkins, Halehaku Seabury)

Monday, March 2, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Napua Greig

Monday, March 9, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Walt Keale & LT Smooth

Monday, March 16, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Natalie Ai & I’olani Kamau’u & Sha-Lei Kamau’u

Monday, March 23, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

John Mahi/’Oiwi presents Kauai Falsetto Singers

Saturday, March 21, 4:00 – 9:00 pm (A Ticketed Event)

Special Concert: Hawaiian Sovereign String Band

Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall

Go to Top