Synopsis: None can deny the genius of Hawaiian poetry, which was made even more brilliant by the accompaniment of intricate melodies, harmonies and instrumentation. The “haunting” Hawaiian songs are called such for a reason; their melody lingers within the mind and spirit of those who sing and hear them. Hawaiian music is cherished not only by those here in Hawaiæi, but by people all around the world. Here is our word of encouragement for us all, to learn how to play our instruments, and to learn them well, so that we can all perpetuate this special part of Hawaiæi, Hawaiian music.
E ka makamaka heluhelu æalo mau i ke koæele a ka ua Kükalahale, aloha nui käkou. Eia nö hoæi käu poæe mea käkau nei æo Kekua läua æo Puæuwai ke häpai aæe nei i wahi manaæo näu e nalu ai. æO ke akamai o nä puæukani ma ka leo hïmeni ka mea i mahalo æia e käkou i këia au. Ua lawa paha käkou i ka leo hïmeni a me ke koekoe æia o ka hua mähoe C. Pehea naæe nä mea akamai i ka hoæokani pila? Ka poæe e hoæokani ana i ka Eb6 a i æole ka C7b9? æAæole anei ia he mea e hoæokiæekiæe ana i ke mele? æAæole paha like ka nui o ka mahalo æia e ka lehulehu.
Puæuwai Eia naæe, i nä makahiki mua o ke kenekulia 20, æo nä mele Hawaiæi a me nä bäna näna läkou e hoæokani, æo ia ka mea laha loa ma nä welelau o ka honua nei ma mua o nä æano mele æë aæe. He huakaæi hele kä këlä me këia bäna, e like me kä Sol Hoæopiæi (Sol Hoæopiæi and His Novelty Quartet), kä Andy Iona (Andy Iona and His Islanders), kä Harry Owens (Harry Owens and His Royal Hawaiians), kä Ray Kinney (The Ray Kinney Orchestra), kä Bill Kalama (Kalama’s Quartet), a nui hou aæe.
Ke noæonoæo käkou i ke kumu o ko läkou kaulana a puni ka honua, æaæole paha pëlä no nä hua æölelo o loko o nä mele. No ka leo hone paha ia o ke mele. No ke kani hoehoene paha ia o nä pila. No ka poæe e hoæolohe ana i ua mau hui hïmeni nei ma æAmelika Hui Pü æIa, æaæohe o läkou hoæomaopopo iki i kahi manaæo o nä mele, akä, æo ka höæeuæeu æia o loko, a i æole ia, æo ka æumeæume æia o loko e ke kani o nä pila, æo ia ka mea e piæi ai ka hoi i loko o läkou, a æoniæoni ke kino.
æO ke akamai ma ka hoæokani pila ka mea i hiki ai i ka haku mele ke hoæokiæekiæe aæe i käna mele ponoæï o ka haku æana. Ma waho aæe o nä lila, æo ka pila ke kuhikuhi aku i ke æano o ka manaæo o ke mele, e laæa ka æoliæoli, ke kaumaha, ke aloha, a pëlä wale aku. E like me käkou poæe aæo æölelo Hawaiæi, e æole ka paæa o nä hua æölelo he nui wale, wehewehe pono æia ka manaæo ma ka hoæopuka æana. æO Nä Lani æEhä, ua palamimo ka hoæonohonoho æana i ka hua mele, a ua æoi loa aæe ka leo o këlä me këia mele ma muli o ko läkou aæo æia ma ia mähele nö.
Ua æaæapo koke æia nä æano kaila like æole e ko käkou poæe küpuna. æO ka hoæokomo koke akula nö ia i ua mau kaila nei i loko o nä mele na läkou i haku. æAæohe o läkou hopohopo i ka nalo o ke kani Hawaiæi o ke mele, æoi paæa ko läkou kahua. O hoæopaæa æia ko käkou kahua, a laila wale nö e kükulu aku ai ma luna.
He manaæo ko mäua iä æoe, e ka mea heluhelu nei, æo ia hoæi këia: aia a aæo æia ka hoæokani æana i ka pila, a laila, hoæokiæekiæe æia nä mele äu o ka hoæokani æana. Pëia me ka poæe e puana ana i nä mele na haæi i haku, hiki ke hoæokiæekiæe æoi mälama æia kona manaæo. Pëlä käkou e pae aku ai i kahi æanuæu aæe o ke alapiæi, a i kahi æanuæu aku hoæi. Ma o ko käkou æaæapo pono i këia mea nui koæikoæi o ko käkou lähui nei, pëlä e holomua ai.
E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ä leka iä mäua, ‘o ia ho‘i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:
>> kwong@hawaii.edu
>> rsolis@hawaii.edu
a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:
>> 808-956-2627 (Laiana)
>> 808-956-2627 (Kekeha)
This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa.
