Monthly Archives: February 2018

Revival of the Kawaihau Glee Club, 1904.

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The Kawaihau Glee Club Reawakened.

It is a happy thing that we received news that Kawaihau Glee Club was revived, one of the clubs that made Hawaii popular for singing, and it is one of the old groups of Hawaii nei that was established to entertain at celebrations and concerts. Continue reading →

More on Ipo Lei Manu, 1892.

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[Found under: “LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.]

The Bulletin acknowledges the receipt of the music and words of two hula kuis—”Ipo Lei Manu” and “Pua Melekule”—the first ever printed. They have been copyrighted by Mr. W. F. Reynolds of the Golden Rule Bazaar, in both the Hawaiian Islands and the United States. A few copies arrived by the last steamer, which can be had at the Bazaar at fifty cents a copy.

[One year after the death of King Kalakaua, the mele gets copyrighted by someone who obviously did not compose it, as so often happens to Hawaiian music. What is interesting is that I have not found any public performances in Hawaii of this song until after 1924.]

Major Kealakai perhaps took offense to this article? 1924.

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OFFICIALS WILL HONOR MEMORY OF KALAKAUA REGIME

Territory, Army, Navy and Consulates Are To Be Represented At Services

Official circles of the territory will be represented at the memorial services for the Kalakaua dynasty at Kawaiahao church Sunday morning. Among those who will be in attendance will be Mrs. Wallace R. Farrington, wife of Governor Farrington; Acting Governor and Mrs. Raymond C. Brown, Major General and Mrs. C. P. Summerall, Rear Admiral J. D. McDonald, Consul for Great Britain and Mrs. W.Massy Royds, Consul for France and Mrs. Marques, Consul General for Japan and Mrs. Yamasaki, Consul for China and Mrs. tau Shia Hsu, Vice Consul of Belgium Victor H. Lappe, Consul of Portugal and Mrs. Fancisco de Paula Brito, Consul for Cuba and Mrs. Gustavo E. Mustelier. Continue reading →

“E O E Kalani Kaulilua” by Major Kealakai, 1924.

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CORRECTION.

To the Kuokoa Newspaper; Aloha nui: So that people know the truth, I am Mekia Kealakai, the one who composed the kanikau of King Kalakaua, “E O E Kalani Kaulilua,” of the Kawaihau Glee Club which existed then. The ones who sang this dirge were these: Continue reading →

Helen H. Roberts, ethnomusicologist, collecting mele from across the islands, 1923.

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Talking about Welo Hou and the Roberts Collection of mele at the Bishop Museum, here is a post put up a while ago!

nupepa's avatarnupepa

SOMETHING WORTHWHILE HELPING

In this past Legislative session, $5,000 was set aside for the cost to prepare a book of “Ancient Hawaiian Music”. This endeavor has been given to Kamehameha School, and they are now utilizing this to preserve the “old mele olioli” of Hawaii nei. Miss Helen H. Roberts has been sent by the Trustees of the Kamehameha School to go amongst the Hawaiians and to search out ancient mele of Hawaii nei.

She is accompanied by a phonograph [ponotalapa (ipu malama olelo)], and is looking to have people chant ancient mele into the phonograph and to record and save it for generations to come. Not only mele olioli are being sought after, but also wanted are mele hula hoaeae of the Hawaiians. Many years from now the people who know these old mele will be gone, but these mele olioli and mele hoaeae will become something to look…

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Welo Hou and the Helen H. Roberts Collection at the Bishop Museum, 2018.

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It seems the Welo Hou blog has been up since November of 2017, with posts every Monday. If you are a mele person, or a history person, or are from Hawaii nei, you should check it out and start a dialogue! This is its opening post from last year [click anywhere below to link to the blog]:

Welo Hou: Building Connections to the Helen Roberts Mele Collection

“Through the interpretation of the ancient prayers and mele of Hawaii we would gain, in connection with them, much valuable information concerning the life of old. We would learn much more of the arts and crafts, of language and culture- of religion of medicine, of fishing farming, tapa-making, canoe-building, games, dances of the location of lands and the origin of their appellations, of stars, clouds, winds, rains, surfs, fishing-grounds, etc. new light, perchance would be thrown on Hawaiian migrations and origin; stronger connecting-links would be formed with other island groups of Polynesia; a surer basis could be laid for the translation of abstruse native legal documents; thousands of new words would be made available; with best examples of usage, for as complete as possible a lexicon of the Hawaiian language.” – Kokua  (The Honolulu Advertiser, April 22, 1931.)

 How has mele informed your understanding of a Hawaiian worldview?

As I ponder this question framed within the context of the above quote, my mind begins to churn with examples stemming from my own life and learning experiences. I recall my early childhood years in keiki hula class where I proudly chanted “Kūnihi ka mauna” while oblivious to the meaning of the words that were resonating from my mouth. Yet even in my naivety, I understood the function and purpose of that oli kahea. Though my mind was too young to comprehend the arbitrary words formed by my lips, I was fully aware that I had to be focused and present-minded in order to be granted permission into the hālau. This is a small example of how, even at 5 years old, mele/oli had already begun to shape my perspective to be one that reflects a Hawaiian way of thinking and behaving. “Kūnihi ka mauna” followed me into the academic arena where I eventually learned how to dissect the mele word for word, structure by structure, phrase by phrase, and sound by sound. I learned about the different places referenced in the mele and discovered the kaona behind words. I came to know the story by which the mele was inspired and I internalized the knowledge gained through the deconstruction and reconstruction of this mele. I share these thoughts with the hope that we can collectively become even more conscious of the way in which mele is able to shed light on aspects that are often considered obscure in research and Hawaiian knowledge acquisition.

                As we meet here weekly for Mele Monday, I invite you to ponder deeply on the pieces we will discuss from the Roberts’ Mele Collection over the next two years. The purpose of this blog is to cultivate a community of mele enthusiasts who would like to dialogue about the gems uncovered from within the mele we will explore over the coming weeks. Please feel free to ask questions, share manaʻo, and post comments that will contribute to the facilitation of thoughtful and respectful discourse.

                If you feel so inclined, I invite you to leave a comment expressing your thoughts on the quote and question posed above. 

E hea i ke kanaka e komo ma loko…..