Peter Kalani, recently appointed leader of the Hawaiian Band to succeed Capt. Henri Berger, has been interested in music since a small boy. Mr. Kalani was born in Honolulu 38 years ago, and as soon as he became strong enough began twanging the strings of the ukulele and the taro-patch. Continue reading
The news was told in our office, the laws to give pensions to some Hawaiians who served for many years in government jobs like James Pohina, S. Kamakaia, George Waipa, and some other Hawaiians. Continue reading
Words by KING KALAKAUA. Composed by H. BERGER.
Soprano. Alto. Tenor. Bass. Piano.
Helu 1. Hawaii ponoi Nana i kou Moi
Helu 2. Hawaii ponoi Nana i na’lii
Helu 3. Hawaii ponoi E ka lahui e Continue reading
As a spokesperson for the people, and being that we are all angered by the contemptuous words of the people who stole our beloved land; we continue to protest these acts to this day; therefore, we speak on something we saw which is stealing once again; and that is this:
October 24, Bulletin Newspaper²; the newspaper stated:—Professor Berger of the Government Band [Bana Aupuni] has put a request before all the members of the National Band [Bana Lahui Hawaii] for the boys to agree to give time to teach his musicians to sing; time to sing will be made between the first and second parts and so forth.
And being the boys of the National Band will join with the “Peacock government [aupuni Pikake]³” Band, it shows those on the outside that the two sides have joined together and the disagreements have become as naught.
That is the gist of this report which we saw; and those rights of yours, O Hawaii, will be stolen once again.
Kaulana na pua o Hawaii
Kupaa mahope o ka aina
Hiki mai ka elele o ka lokoino
Palapala alunu me ka pakaha
Pane mai o Hawaii Nui a Keawe
Kokua na Honoapiilani
Kakoo mai Kauai o Mano
Pau pu me ke one o Kakuhihewa
Aole e kau e ka pulima
Maluna o ka pepa a ka enemi
Aole makou e minamina
I ka puu dala a ke aupuni
Hoohui aina kuai hewa
I pono kivila o ke kanaka
Mahope makou o ka Moi
A kau hou ia i ke Kalaunu
Haina ia mai ana ka puana
No ka poe i aloha i ka aina.
Miss Kekoaohiwaikalani,
Puahaulani Hale.
Honolulu, Feb. 10, 1893.
[This is perhaps the very first publication of Ellen Kekoaohiwaikalani Prendergast’s “Kaulana na Pua:” “An Adornment for the Patriots.” Was the idea about eating stones not in the original composition and added on after the Hawaiian National Band [Bana Lahui] was told by Herny Berger that they would have to sign their names to the annexation club roll lest they end up having to eat stones? The first time it seems that the lines about eating stones was published was under the title “He Inoa no na Keiki o ka Bana Lahui” [A Name Song for the Boys of the Hawaiian National Band] in 3/23/1893 on the second page of Hawaii Holomua.]
(Leo o ka Lahui, 2/24/1893, p. 3)
Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 649, Aoao 3. Feberuari 24, 1893.
(From Thursday Advertiser.)
Following an illness of nine months, John Sumner Ellis, known as Hawaii’s premier tenor singer, died Tuesday afternoon shortly before five o’clock at the home of Deputy County Clerk Eugene D. Buffandeau, 1205 Alexander street, his brother-in-law.
Ellis was a victim of tuberculosis, which he contracted in the East. He…
JOHN SUMNER ELLIS
…returned to Honolulu three weeks ago with the avowed intention of seeing his beloved island home before he passed away. His wish was gratified to the extent that he died in his native land, surrounded by the friends of his boyhood.
The funeral will take place at ten o’clock this morning from the undertaking parlors of H. H. Williams, Fort street. Ellis’ remains will be buried in the family plot in Nuuanu cemetery.
Ellis was born in Honolulu on April 11, 1877, and would have been thirty-seven years of age on April 11 of this year had he lived. He was the son of the late Charles K. Ellis, who was at one time connected with the old Honolulu Iron Works, and Nancy Sumner Ellis, and a grand nephew of John Sumner, Honolulu’s well known pioneer.
Mourning his loss and surviving him are his wife, who was Mrs. May Barnard, and who married him in Chicago in 1909; his six-year old stepdaughter; William Sumner Ellis, a brother, and also a well known singer who resided now in New York, and Mrs. Victoria Buffandeau, of Honolulu, a sister. He also leaves a fourteen-year-old son who resides in San Francisco with his mother, Ellis’ divorced wife. Willie Davis, of Honolulu, is a cousin of the deceased.
John Sumner Ellis was educated in St. Louis College of this city, where he early made a mark as a singer. He was a member of the college band and after leaving school joined the Royal Hawaiian Band under Capt. Henri Berger. Ellis will be remembered as one of the foremost players with the Maile football eleven in the nineties.
Ellis was a member of Ernest Kaai’s well known musical organization when it first started out. He left the Islands on May 30, 1905, almost nine years ago, with “Sonny” Cunha’s Hawaiian quintet for a tour of the mainland. When this organization returned to Honolulu Ellis remained on the mainland, singing in vaudeville in the East. He was employed for a long time by the Hawaii Promotion Committee. He sang in grand opera shortly before being attacked with the disease which finally put an untimely end to his promising career.
He was possessed of an unusually sweet tenor voice wherever on the mainland he sang Hawaii’s plaintive airs he immediately became a favorite. Ellis was instrumental, probably more so than any other Hawaiian singer, in popularizing Hawaiian melodies on the mainland and especially in the east. He was attractive in appearance, well mannered and readily made lasting friends. With his passing away Hawaii has lost a son who was a credit to her, both at home and abroad.
(Hawaiian Gazette, 2/27/1914, p. 5)
Hawaiian Gazette, Volume VII, Number 17, Page 5. February 27, 1914.
This past Saturday, at 7:30, a joint concert was held with the Hawaiian Republic band and the band of the Philadelphia, on the grounds of the Hawaiian Hotel to commemorate the birthday of the bandmaster of the Government, who is 50 years old. That night was the 4664th time he gave concerts in various locations, and this is his 500th at that place. The Government band went first, and when they were through, then there were singers of haole songs chosen from a non-Hawaiian singing group from the uplands of Leiolono, and then came the boys of the sea [from the Philadelphia]. When that was over, the two groups joined together for the ending, and that was the conclusion of the activities of the night. The band stage was illuminated by electric lights and all sorts of Japanese lanterns under tree branches. Continue reading
Because of the music of the boys of the Hawaiian band is constantly being of much acclaim, so to them went the jobs of entertaining parties of the haole of ours this past week. The P. G. band was not called for. They live, and do not have to eat stones. The visitors at the Hawaiian Hotel are those who want them the most.
[It was said that when the members of the Royal Hawaiian Band refused to sign an oath of allegiance to the P. G. The bandmaster Henry Berger told them they would end up eating stones… I cannot find a quote from the time. Does anyone know of one?]
(Makaainana, 10/15/1894, p. 8)
Ka Makaainana, Buke II—Ano Hou, Helu 16, Aoao 8. Okatoba 15, 1894.
The picture below is of the Royal Hawaiian Band [Bana Alii Hawaii], famous here in the Hawaiian Archipelago, but there will be a small change, that being, this band will head to America in the month of June, and will stay there during the months of July and August, and will have two lady singers, which will be the entire band as is desired. Continue reading
He is one of the members of the Royal Hawaiian Band [Bana Hawaii] established by Professor Northcock, a British man, and under his instruction, Jack Kuamoo acquired a superior talent in playing the smaller drums. There is no one amongst the Hawaiian people and amongst those who play the smaller drums of our band these days that can follow after the talent that Jack Kuamoo had.
In 1895, the Royal Hawaiian Band went to America under the leadership of Professor Libornio, a Filipino, and his abilities in drumming smaller drums diminished in the places where we in the band played. He was a known expert in his talent taught to him until proficient, and it is the old kamaaina of Honolulu nei who are the witness to this.
With his death, he left behind three of his old friends still living: Frank Mahuka, living with his children, grandchildren and many of his family in Kalihi Camp; James Pohina, and the one writing this [Samuel K. Kamakea], still with the band today. All of the old ones of this profession in 1870 have died, and we are the old members left alive today. But we are to follow too on the same path, so who amongst us three will be the one to go after Jack Kuamoo.
Because of the unforgettable remembrances of Captain H. Berger for Jack Kuamoo, he was invited by the members of the Band to offer some dirges at the crypt of Manuel Silva, and the loving invitation by the band was accepted, and at half past three in the afternoon of this Wednesday, the band played some mele kanikau for Jack Kuamoo.
We, the old members of the band, are giving our right hand of true aloha, and join with you O Wife who is left without a husband, and grieve with you, and mourn with you, and carry with you the sadness borne upon you; and may the Heavens wash away all of the streaks of tears from you.
We with sincerity,
FRANK MAHUKA,
JAMES POHINA,
SAMUEL K. KAMAKEA.
[Does anyone know who the Professor Northcock mentioned refers to?]
(Kuokoa, 9/26/1913, p. 3)
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LI, Helu 38, Aoao 3. Sepatemaba 26, 1913.
nupepa 