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Sunday, April 9, 2006
Honolulu Advertiser
ISLAND SOUNDS
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor
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NA 'ANO'ANO: THE SEEDS" BY GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR.; DANIEL HO CREATIONS
Genre: Hawaiian slack key with vocals
Distinguishing notes: George Kahumoku Jr. was one of this year's ki ho'alu Grammy winners; this collection, recorded before his win, showcases his strumming artistry (on 12-string guitar) as well as ability to interpret, adapt and personalize well-known classics. The opening track, a plaintive reflection of times past that Kahumoku penned in 1982, sets the looking-back tone. Kahumoku's easy-going manner revives sundry other favorites ("Keawaiki," "Pane Mai," "Pua Carnation," "Alu Like," "Waika," "He 'Ono"). Living-room or back-porch informality prevails — an art not easily transferred onto CD. His annotated liner notes provide details and amplify each title, as if he were there to introduce them.
The outlook: A surefire winner.
Our take: By George, he's done it again — a winning combination of style marrying material.
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April 1, 2006
Honolulu Star Bulletin
Island Mele
By John Berger
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"Na 'Ano'ano: The Seeds"
George Kahumoku Jr.
(Daniel Ho Creations)
Kahumoku was one of the artists on this year's Grammy award-winning Hawaiian album, "Masters of Slack Key Vol. 1," but because the album was a compilation, the award went to the producers rather than to the participating artists.
This album, however, could make Kahumoku a Grammy winner in his own right. It is better, overall, than the compilation, and a excellent showcase of Kahumoku's talents as a singer and slack-key guitarist. His son Keoki sits in on one song, but other than that, this is a solo project.
Most of the songs are Hawaiian standards, and Kahumoku's back-porch arrangements provide some fresh insights. "He 'Ono," for example, might be best known these days as an up-tempo hapa-haole hula song, but Kahumoku's take suggests a far more relaxed experience.
Lyrics and translations aren't included, but Kahumoku explains the personal significance of each song in his liner notes.
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1.
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Ho‘okupu
George Kahumoku, Jr.1982
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In Kealia, South Kona, where I was raised in the 1950’s, we had no TV or radio. So Tutu Koko‘o would tell us many legends such as those of Kamapua‘a and Pele who were in constant battle. I wrote this song while sitting at the edge of Mauna Ulu on the Chain of Craters road in the early 80’s. When the crater began erupting, I headed towards the Volcano House and by the time I got there, the eruption had escalated to molten volcanic lava fountains over 13 miles long and over 1500 feet high. I got what Hawaiians call INSPIRATION. Dedicated to all the movers of mountains in men’s lives, (our wives and significant others). To my wife, Nancy, who continues to move the mountains of paperwork and other work that I generate, and who supports me in all the crazy things I love.
Also dedicated to all the half-men half-pigs out there who continue to dig hard, grunt hard, work hard, eat hard and love hard, and have a passion for what they do!
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2.
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Pane Mai
Robert Cazimero, 1980’s
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This was a favorite of Uncle Johnny Lum Ho of Hilo, who would dance this hula for Moses and me at Rosie’s Boathouse Restaurant, and also at Blalah’s of Keaukaha at the Old Waiäkea Village. It is truly a late-night-musicians-coming-home song, asking one's lover, who is sleeping, to huli, or turn over, to ho‘oniponipo, (intense lovemaking.) 'Ä 'Oia. (Yes indeed!) Oh the seeds of love!! Very important to mälama (take nurture) and plant the seeds of love!!! For my wife Nancy.
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3.
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Wai‘alae
Mekia Kealaka'i, 1902
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This was a favorite of The Kahumoku Brothers (Moses and I), and was my Kamehameha Schools Class of 1969 song contest winner, which was led by fellow classmate, friend and slack key musician, Keola Beamer. Moses and I would jam for hours with this great song and others such as No Ke Ano Ahiahi. Dedicated to my brother Moses and his 'ohana, and to the IMUA Class of '69 'ohana.
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4.
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Keawaiki
Helen Desha Beamer, 1942
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This family song from the Big Island is dedicated to Zadoc Brown and his ‘ohana. The song was written for a favorite son of Hawai‘i, Francis ‘Ï‘i Brown, who is a great friend and champion not only of the people of Keawaiki, home to Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows in South Kohala, but also to all Native Hawaiians. He was the first to plant the seed of instituting a Director of Cultural Affairs in the Hawaiian hotel system (led by my fellow classmate, friend and musician, Danny Akaka, Jr., at Mauna Lani), so that Hawaiian culture was included in the business and interests of the hotels in Hawai‘i. Francis ‘Αi Brown made sure that Hawaiian mana‘o was everywhere within the teachings of his staff and included Hawai‘i mele in the training of employees, much as the practice of Tai Chi is frequently part of the daily morning protocol in China. Hotels on Maui such as the Kä‘anapali Beach Hotel and the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua followed Mr. Brown's and George Kanahele's example and have Hawaiian Cultural Advisors in their attempt to keep Hawai‘i Hawaiian, and I applaud their efforts!
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5.
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Pua Carnation
Charles E. King, 1916
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Charles E. King took many family songs from Hawai'i and published them for the Tin Pan Alley market in New York. This inspired the burst of popularity of the ‘ukulele and Hawaiian music in the 1920’s through the 40’s. King planted the seeds of Hawaiian music and mele into the heartland of America.
This is one of those mele.
In true local family tradition, this classic Hawaiian song was sung by five generations of my family for over three quarters of a century. All kinds of flower lei were made for the many steamers and passenger liners bringing visitors to Hawai‘i and taking back sugar, cattle and canned pineapple to California and beyond. Kula, Maui became a center of carnation growing by many local Japanese families. It was Alfred Apaka who set the standard for formal Hawaiian attire to be a white long-sleeved shirt, white pants, white shoes, a red sash and red carnation double-strand lei! This song honors the carnation flower and its fragrant lei.
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6.
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He 'Ono
Bina Mossman, 1928
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I relearned this song for the 2006 Nä Mele Contest held on Maui for over two generations, started by küpuna (elders, forefathers) such as Aunty Emma Sharp and Uncle Manu Kahaialii as a way to keep the children in Maui County (which includes Lana‘i and Moloka‘i), learning and playing Hawaiian music. Dedicated to Charlene Ka‘uhane, Shelley Kekuna, Mark Smith and the Lahaina Intermediate Nä Mele singers who inspired me to play this island favorite. He ‘Ono is one of those great eating songs that reflect the deep pleasure of sharing food.
May nä ‘ano‘ano of nä mele continue to share the generations of music that came before us. May the mana‘o of our küpuna continue to live through our kamali‘i (children).
Mahalo to the Kä‘anapali Beach Association and the Kä‘anapali Hotel community for keeping this Hawaiian event going on Maui for over 33 years. A special Mahalo to Frank Lavey and the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, for hosting and nourishing the seeds of aloha (love) and mele (song) for generations to come.
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7.
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Waikä
Part of a Traditional Chant known as Hole Waimea
Music and Arrangement by Johnny Spencer,1950’s
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Before the beginning of the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance, when few people understood our dying Hawaiian language, my great friend and mentor, Uncle Johnny Spencer, set this old chant to music. Being a non-native speaker, it is ironic that he used a war chant describing warring, and the killing of Kamehameha's famous Kili‘o‘opu warriors as part of this beautiful love song. I used to stop at Uncle Johnny Spencer's little blue house in Waimea on my way to play music at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Uncle had some of the creamiest avocados growing in his yard. From his seed stock, I planted over twenty acres of avocado on the Big Island. This song was taught to me by my mother who learned it from my cousin, Sam Bernard, who learned it from Darrell Lupenui, who learned it from Robert Cazimero, who learned it from Uncle Johnny Spencer. This was my Mom's favorite hula.
Dedicated to my sisters, Maile and Mona, and their ‘ohana,
who cared for my mother until her recent death in 2005.
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8.
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Alu Like
Haunani Apoliona, 1979
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The 1970’s and 1980’s brought a great rediscovery by Hawaiians of the Hawaiian culture, including the music. The bumper sticker "Proud to be Hawaiian" was born. A true Renaissance happened, as many generations of dormant seeds of Hawaiian mana‘o were ready for an explosion of planting and nurturing. It was pono, (okay, right), to be a Hawaiian. Many symbols and icons were born, including the voyaging canoe Höküle'a, and the Native Hawaiian organization Alu Like, named by Tutu Kawena Pukui, my grandmother Emily Ho'opale Dulay’s second cousin. George Helm, Walter Ritte, Emmet Aluli and other Hawaiian activists of the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana helped to save Kaho‘olawe from The U.S. Navy Bombing, which eventually led to the island’s return to the State of Hawaii and Hawai’i’s people. The sovereignty movement bore fruit with leaders such as my IMUA class of 69 classmate Mililani Trask, and my cousin Bumpy Kanahele. I was the Alu Like Director for the Big Island of Hawai‘i in the mid 1970’s and early 1980’s. Tutu Kawena Pukui gave us a motto: E Alu Like Mai Käkou. E Nä ‘Ö‘iwi O Hawai‘i. Join Together, Natives of Hawai‘i. All we needed was a song, which Haunani Apoliona created. These were the seeds that unified our people, that brought us the Merry Monarch Festival, The Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the Sons of Hawai'i, the Cazimeros, Brother Iz, the Makaha Sons, the Peter Moon Band. Pünana Leo immersion schools were born; the Hawaiian language community was born. It was great to be Hawaiian! This in one of the songs that seeded the Hawaiian Renaissance!
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9.
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Adios Kealoha
Prince William Pitt (Leleiöhoku) c. 1870’s
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This song goes back to the mid 1800’s when it was composed in both the Hawaiian language and Spanish. It was reintroduced to me in 2001 - 2002 by my niece, Michelle Kiba, of Santa Cruz, California, and Mexican Jalisco harp player, William Faulkner from Watsonville, California.
I'm grateful to the Mexican cowboys who came to the Big Island in 1832, to teach Hawaiians how to rope and manage cattle. At night these cowboys sang and played, introducing the Mexican guitar and yodeling to Hawaiians. These Mexican cowboy seeds grew into the tradition of playing slack key and singing leo ki‘eki‘e, falsetto, in the backyard, front porch, and tailgating jams we know today. Dedicated to my Mexican students at Lahainaluna, and to all my students who hang around and create songs, poetry, and art, and who help me to keep my classroom clean.
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10.
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Aloha Ka Manini
Lot Kauwe, from an old Ni‘ihau song
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This is another song about eating that I love. My brother, Van, was a great fisherman and would catch all of the fish mentioned in this song. He'd pülehu the fish, (roast on an open fire), or lawalu the fish, (steam in ti leaves with Hawaiian salt), then we would dig in and eat. When we were pau (finished) eating, we'd all sing about the fish we'd just enjoyed. Hawaiian style! Great with Van's favorite, sour, sour, sour poi, da kine (like) my tutu Koko‘o, who raised us, would eat. How sour? When get white Penicillin growing on top, sour enough. Ahhh! The good old days. Dedicated to Brother Van and his ‘ohana.
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11.
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Ka‘ahumanu
Helen Desha Beamer, 1916
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My great-grandmother, Lottie Koko‘o, belonged to the Ka‘ahumanu Society in Keälia, South Kona, and sang this song as part of their protocol and ritual honoring Queen Ka‘ahumanu. It was through the Queen's example of embracing Christianity that Hawaiians converted and began singing in Christian choirs, and learned four-part harmony. Ka‘ahumanu is one of my favorite songs sung by Gabby Pahinui. Dedicated to my sister Sharleen U‘ilani Kahumoku and her Gunderson ‘ohana.
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12.
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Muliwai
Charles Pokipala, Sr. and Daniel K. Pokipala
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This song was a favorite of my dad, George Kahumoku, Sr. who had a passion for life, lived aloha, and was loved by all he met. He shared and gifted anything he ever had with everyone around him. He taught me how to play the slack key that was taught to him by his great-grandfather, Willie Kahumoku, whose dad was one of the original paniolo who learned from the Mexican cowboys. I now pass this tradition of six generations of true family slack key Hawaiians to my son, Keoki Kahumoku. Dedicated to my grandchildren, Kellie Ann and Aaron. It is my hope and wish that they will grow up to be like their great-great-great-grandfather, and maybe one day learn kï hö‘alu or slack key guitar. Dedicated to my son Keoki Kaliko Kahumoku, Hawai’i’s only two-time Grammy Winner.
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Dedication
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For my mother, Aileen Naheali‘ikeli‘imaheaimoku Waiolama Perez, who planted many seeds in my life and in the lives of others around her. Through her example she taught me Aloha Ke Akua, (God is love).
Mahalo to my brother-in-law, George Winston, for his passion in bringing the slack key ‘ano‘ano or seed to fruition, and to Dancing Cat Productions for paving the kï hö‘alu (slack key) super highway. Mahalo to Kï‘ope Raymond and Danny Palakiko Jr., my Hawaiian language advisors; Helen Bigelow and Cynthia Bryant, my liner note editors; and my wife, Nancy, Head of State and Chief of Finances and All Projects.
Many of the songs, (mele), created and sung here were chosen because of their ability to transform from seed to harvest one’s ‘uhane, (spirit), kino, (body), and mana‘o, (thought and values), and one’s sense of place. May we all continue to hö‘ano‘ano, or plant many seeds within our lives to strengthen our ‘uhane, kino, and mana‘o, and those of the next generations.
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