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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
 Posted - 01/19/2007 : 06:00:51 AM
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I am wondering about this mele. The words are so obviously obstinate (and rightly so). Because of this, I am wondering about whether it is more appropriate to play it with strong strumming and a faster, more forceful tempo, or whether it is appropriate to do it as an instrumental very slow and sweet? Does playing nahenahe dilute the meaning and impact of the song?
I would have druther ate rocks, too.
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Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 07:17:14 AM
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Aloha, Wanda,
Kaliko has done a "lesson" about the song and its meaning, http://www.kbeamer.com/?q=node/41 He touches on the composer's own thoughts and intentions. You might also check how respected artists have arranged the song and draw some conclusions.
I'd be interested, too, if anyone else has thoughts on the correlation of tempo and tone with the sentiments of song lyrics, within the slack key idiom. Sometimes I have been puzzled by what I have heard (sad lyrics with upbeat music, expressionless delivery of words, etc). I can't determine whether it is because the artist was unfamiliar with the lyrics, or because a correlation is not considered important among those whose music it is (perhaps, for instance, the words are to be transparent, so the listeners can register their own emotions?) Or perhaps both, or other, things are going on.
aloha,
Sarah |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 07:34:40 AM
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Sarah - you are right about sometimes the melody or tempo doesn't "fit" the words. One prime example of this is "Lai Toodle". It is a song about a very bad boss man -- bad to the Japanese, bad to the Filipino, bad to the Portugese and bad to the Chinese. The tune, however, is a very sweet and melodic. I can't help but think that whoever was working and singing this song did it so that the boss man wouldn't know anyone was talking dirt about him. He probably went home at night on told his wife, Hooo, boy, dey was singing dis one very sweet mele, not realizing he was the son-of-a-&*%$! @ # bossie they were singing about!
Here is a very well written treatise on Hawaiian songs of resistance:
http://socrates.uhwo.hawaii.edu/Humanities/chock/lit484docs/nationalism.doc |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
Edited by - wcerto on 01/19/2007 07:48:37 AM |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1021 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 2:30:20 PM
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| Ditto. Another example is He Hawaii Au, by Peter Moon and Auntie Alice Namakelua. Most of the versions that I had heard were very soulful (Iz's in particluar). However, compare that to Ozzie's rendition on the Paka Ua CD. Also, Paul Togioka's version on his latest release. I have adopted this peppy, more upbeat, take on this tune in my own rendition. I can't play it as fast as Ozzie, but I obviously like this slant. This only works, however, as an instrumental. The lyrics are pretty emotional and would be better sung in a slower, more deliberate attempt. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2007 : 03:37:19 AM
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Re: He Hawai`i Au -- Iz starts his version out slow and gets faster and more forceful as the song goes on. George Kahumoku does his very reverently. Both those methods seem to suit the mele -- of emphasizing the impact of the words.
We will shortly be having visitors to Cleveland -- Mapuana and Kihei DeSilva, for a hula/`olelo workshop. Kihei will be teaching about mele and I will bring this up in discussion with him to get his take on the matter. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2007 : 8:44:32 PM
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I have also been puzzled by the arrangements of Kaulana Na pua. Keola's version for instance, is very plaintive and it conveys a sense of loss. The words however, seem more angry and rebellious. It's as if the song is being treated as a reflection of what was lost historically rather than what it was saying.
When I play it, I usually explain that I just played was a Hawaiian protest song...and imagine how beautiful it could have been if they realy got mad.
Bob
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2007 : 07:32:04 AM
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Wanda, please share with us what Kihei deSilva says on this subject.
mahalo,
Sarah |
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Ray Sowders
Akahai
USA
96 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2007 : 09:30:19 AM
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Aloha Wanda,
Yes, please share what you learn from Kihei if he will give his permission. Kihei is brilliant. He is well studied and presents any subject in a way that can be spell binding. I had the opportunity to perform at the 1994 Merry Monarch festival with Halau Mohala Ilima, this is when I was playing with Kawai Cockett. I was very fortunate that they love slack key, and I got to do a ki ho'alu "ka'i" and "ho'i" while Mapuana chanted for their Miss Aloha entry. Kihei would give such fascinating talks to the halau, his knowledge is quite remarkable.
Aloha,
Ray |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2007 : 02:16:24 AM
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I talked with Kihei DeSilva last night on this topic. We specifically discussed Kaulana Na Pua. His opinion was that the melody sung nowadays is not necessarily the way it was done when originally written. However, he said that Hawaiian people, like any people who were "opressed" (my word, not his) learned to say subversive things/protest in a most palatable way so that those who were in the know, would know, and those who weren't would just think it is another beautiful mele. He is of the same mana`o as I am about instrumental only versions of mele with words, that when you do so you are diluting the power of the song. Once again, we were discussing Kaulana Na Pua. The melody is pretty, but wow, the words are what gives this song its strength. Funny we should discuss that because Paul and I were listening to Keola Beamer in the car on the way to the session with the DeSilva `Ohana, and it was an instrumental only version. We also talked about Ka Kaula `Ili, about the different versions of the mele and how the meaning is so completely different. It is who you learn it from...how it was handed down, and the understanding that the kupuna had when they taught it to you. My trouble is, I don't have any kupuna to teach me Hawaiian mele...all I had were the Pawpaws and Mawmaws and Uncle Teds who taught us "Hipple Creek" vs. "Cripple Creek" as the most of you may know it. The bottom line in these discussions with Kihei were that Hawaiians were pono in their mele...even the "protest" songs..if the words were harsh, the tune was very nahenahe and melodic. That really amazes me...and makes me ashamed of my grumpy human nature and makes me strive to be more pono.
More to come after today's session. Also, we are learning hula kahiko "Nani Kilauea" by Mary Kawena Pukui. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2007 : 09:00:12 AM
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Mahalo, Wanda, for relating your discussion with Kihei. Great points, all.
aloha,
Sarah |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 2:54:24 PM
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Sizing up reactions here...
If you are aware of the meaning of this song and the history behind it, how does this song make you "feel"?
Does it offend you? Do you swell up with pride, or perhaps righteous indignation? Does it generate any feeling whatsoever in you? Do the song's lyrics resonate with you at all, or do you just find it to be simply a lovely song? |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2007 : 3:32:45 PM
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It makes me ashamed to be haole. It makes me wish I could undo the wrong. I also felt this way in high school. We had a visitor to our senior American History class. The visitor's name was Russell Means who was head of the American Indian Movement (AIM). This was in 1970. I went to a high school in Cleveland that was in a "minority" neighborhood (no my word), and white kids like me were only about 20% of the school. So I was in the minority in this situation. Russell Means is a great speaker and he sure wound up the class of mostly black kids (wound me up as well), about all the wrong that had been done to the Native Americans. I think he was just out of jail for either something that happened at Wounded Knee during the occupation, or because of his occupation of Alcatraz Island, trying to get the land back for the native Americans. It was most unpleasant how he had the class riled up against "round eyes" with white skin. But, he couldn't see past my skin color into my mind and heart to see that I agreed with him. He also couldn't see past the white skin to see that I had a wee bit of native blood flowing in my veins. Anyhow, I digress. I always want to make things right and I don't know how to go back in history and fix things. All I can do is be pono about the here and now. I never could understand why Hawaiians played the part of victims. Why did Lili`uokalani acquiesce? Why wouldn't the Hawaiians fight for their land. It took me years to understand that she prevented much more devastation by the actions she did take in capitulating. Many lives would have been lost had she not, and because the tiny nation of Hawai`i would have had to fight with the behemouth of the USA, the results would have ended up the same, but with much loss of life of the Hawaiian natives.
I would have expected a song with words like Kaulana Na Pua to be sung forcefully, angrily, a melody in a minor key. But I had much more understanding when Kihei helped me realize that even when angry, Hawaiians are pono, and a mean-spirited, downer of a tunejust wasn't in the nature to be done. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2007 : 08:55:19 AM
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Here's what it's about:
As many of you know, I have a variety of involvements with Hawaiian music - playing and singing with a halau & other groups, hosting radio shows, and programming the music mix that plays throughout the Islands (airports, hotels, malls, restaurants, etc.)
My concerns regarding "Kaulana Na Pua" were about what I would call appropriate usage, particularly in the last case. Knowing that our music mix is heard in so many places throughout Hawai`i, by everyone from tourists (who likely know absolutely nothing about the song) to kanaka and knowledgeable locals (whose emotional responses I was asking about), I really wanted to give serious consideration to whether or not the song should be in the program. At present, I found three instrumentals and one vocal version in the program (not all placed there by me.)
I started discussing this with co-workers, as we have similar talks about Christmas songs every year - how are people, both those who celebrate Christmas and those who don't, affected by the music they hear. Believe me - the emotional power of music is a key factor to our programming choices. Most of the co-workers I talked with did not know the story behind the song, and had trouble understanding my dilemma - which made me decide to expand the discussion to folks like yourselves. The discussion at work will be widened as well.
Before consulting with you folks, I was thinking "remove the vocal version, but leave the instrumentals in - since they have no lyrics." However, just like with most popular Christmas songs, hearing an instrumental will still remind you of the words (assuming you already know them), and will still trigger the same emotional response. Tourists wouldn't know, but many locals would. Since the overall response I've heard from people (on this and other discussion boards) leans strongest towards sadness, then anger, I've decided to remove the instrumentals as well.
Those are not the emotions we want our programming to inspire (and yes, we think about these kinds of things every day, with all our music programming.) I'm still comfortable playing the song on the radio, since there, we can put it in context.
Thank you all for your input. |
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