Hawaii.
What comes to mind? Vacation, the beach, coconuts...
Hawaii is a group of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean that makes up 1/3 of the Polynesian Triangle - Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. The islands were settled by Polynesians from Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands as early as the 7th century. The original Hawaiians lived under a caste system, and developed a land tenure system akin to European feudalism. Eventually, a monarchy emerged in the 17th century and was put to an end by the annexation of the islands by the United States.
Mele hula & Mele oli
The US Census Bureau reported in 2022 that the Hawaiian population is 10.5% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. The immigration of different ethnic groups to Hawaii affected the music of Native Hawaiians as with any other culture, but Native traditions are still around. The music of the Native Hawaiians was closely linked to poetry - their word Mele meaning both poetry and music. Mele is a chant, and there are two kinds - Mele oli, and Mele hula. The word hula probably sounds familiar. Mele hula is a chant that is traditionally accompanied by drum, shaker, and dancing. The drum is called the pahu, and its roots are traced to other Polynesian islands. The pahu is made from the stump of a coconut tree and shark skin is stretched over it to make the drum head. It is played with the hands and is used for religious ceremonies and hula exclusively. Often the dancers will hold what's called and 'uli'uli. This is a gourd rattle - yet again, gourds prove themselves great instruments!
Hula takes discipline, strength and mastery comparable to that of ballet. In this video from the Merrie Monarch Festival, the biggest hula competition in Hawaii, you can see the women in the back, playing the pahu and singing, while a group dances. Notice how small the range of the Mele is. It is sung in Hawaiian.
Mele oli is an unaccompanied chant, sung solo. It is sung on ritual occasions, such as weddings and funerals, and often tells historical stories of Hawaii - kind of like the griot songs. Depending on the purpose or occasion, the oli is sung differently. It can be rhythmically rapid or soft and melismatic for prayer or songs of love, respectively. Listen to this welcoming chant, one of love and affection.
Slack-key guitar
Hispanic or Latino people make up 11.1% of Hawaii's population according to the US Census Bureau in 2022. Hispanic immigration to Hawaii started as the agricultural industry grew. Hispanic people were contracted to harvest pineapples and sugarcane as well as take care of cattle on ranches. With this growing Hispanic population came the slack-key guitar, or kī hōʻalu, a style of guitar where the strings are slackened to where the open string play a chord. This style is unique to Hawaii and lends itself to the use of the chromatic scale.
Colonization & Music
In the 18th century, white people did it again. Hawaii was "discovered" by British explorer James Cook, and thus became a stopping point for ships coming from Asia to the US and vice versa, bringing trade, Mormon missionaries and colonization. This of course brought other religions to Hawaii, and thus the syncretism of hymnody and Hawaiian music created what's called himeni.
In the midst of this period of extreme change for Hawaii, the instrument probably most associated with the sounds of Hawaii was invented by a high schooler: the steel guitar. Joseph Kekuku invented the instrument in his boarding school dorm room after his converted Mormon parents moved to Utah and he decided to stay behind. The steel guitar has higher action (how far the strings are from the fretboard) and is played on the lap with a metallic cylinder. Think of any of the music from Spongebob. It probably has steel guitar in it. Its popularity spread quickly throughout the US, and is also highly associated with the rural American South.
Names you might know...
I'm sure the little ukulele version of "Over the Rainbow" is familiar to you. It's sung by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, the most popular contemporary Hawaiian singer. The ukulele actually came from Portuguese immigrants in the 19th century, who brought their four-stringed instrument called the bragha. The name "ukulele" comes from a nickname for a small, energetic army officer, meaning "jumping flea." Ukulele is often included in hula, as well since then.
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole redefined "Over the Rainbow" and became a legend for it. By all accounts he was a joy to be around. He died in 1997 due to complications with obesity, which many members of his family had suffered from already. He speaks of it briefly in this video, how when his time comes, not to cry - to plant a tree.
If you'd like a quick cry, here you go.
The music of the Native Hawaiians is rich in beauty and spirituality. Hawaii is much more than vacations, coconuts and the beach, right?
Works Cited
Conde, Arturo. 2014. "Hispanic Heritage: How Did We End Up In These 4 Places?" NBC News, October 6, 2014. https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hispanic-heritage-month/hispanic-heritage-how-did-we-end-these-4-places-n214161
History.com. 2022. "Hawaii." Last modified December 13, 2022. https://www.history.com/topics/us-states/hawaii
Morning Edition. 2011. "Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: The Voice of Hawai." NPR, March 9, 2011. https://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131812500/israel-kamakawiwo-ole-the-voice-of-hawaii
Shah, Haleema. 2019. "How the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Changed American Music." Smithsonian Magazine, April 25, 2019. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-hawaiian-steel-guitar-changed-american-music-180972028/
Smith, Barbara B. 1959. "Folk Music in Hawaii." Journal of the International Folk Music Council, no. 11: 50-55. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/834858
Smithsonian. n.d. "Na Leo Hawai'i: Musics of Hawai'i." Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, accessed January 24, 2023. https://folkways.si.edu/na-leo-hawaii/music/article/smithsonian
Hi Fay, it is great to see the culture and music of Hawaii, I have never been to there but I have been to somewhere similiar, the Maldives. But as I can tell, I think the music is kindda different. I like the music and videos you shared in the blog, I think they sounds more like to be "Relaxing in a vacation", really enjoyed! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard or learned about the culture or music of Hawaii before. I enjoyed reading about the different types of chants and songs, and the videos gave a great glimpse into Hawaiian traditions as well.
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