by Jan

Some of the people and events featured in this series offer a nostalgic look back to Hawaii’s past. However, a few long standing acts in Hawaii not only entertained us “back then”, but continue to entertain us today…Cecilio and Kapono is one of Hawaii’s mainstays. Commonly known to locals as simply C & K, Cecilio David Rodriguez originally from California, and Henry Kapono Ka’aihue —a pure Native Hawaiian, born and raised in Kapahulu—comprise this duo.

C & K’s music has a distinctive, revolutionary island sound. Of their music, Kapono in his autobiography states:

“…as they added original material , their arrangements became known as the “C&K SOUND”. Almost from the inception, they were performing original compositions which became very unique musically because of the way they would both weave a counter melody to the existing one , thereby creating the harmony to the songs, unlike anything else anybody had heard before them and which became the model and inspiration for many young writers to come.”

With 12 collaborative music albums as C & K, 14 solo albums for Kapono (of these, Wild Hawaiian was Grammy Nominated) and 3 solo albums for Cecilio, these winners of multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaii’s equivalent of the Grammy Awards) continue to entertain this generation of Hawaii 37 years after their start back in 1973.

New to Cecilio & Kapono’s?  Want to reminisce about vintage Hawaii through C & K’s music? Here are a few links to get you started:

• Cecilio & Kapono’s Albums at Mele.com
• Henry Kapono’s Solo Albums

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Hawaii Traditions recently launched its store, so purchase one of our new totes, keychains, or tees as gifts for Girls Day.  You also have the luxury of shipping anywhere around the world!

Events and Festivals

Oahu

Leeward Community College
March 3, 2010
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Oceanarium Restaurant
March 3, 2010
50% off the buffet for those dressed in kimono

California

Celebrating Hinamatsuri
James Irvine Japanese Garden
March 7, 2010
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Colorado

Hina Matsuri: Doll & Cultural Festival
March 6 – 7, 2010
11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

UK

Hinamatsuri
Canyon Guest House, Mallusk
March 6, 2010
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

If you’re having an event, please leave a comment and we’ll get you listed.  How will you be celebrating Girls’ Day?

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Picking up my son from school last week, the familiar sound of beating drums and gongs grew louder and louder. And then, a flash of red and gold out of the corner of my eye— a colorful larger than life sized lion moving energetically through the school—ah yes, Chinese New Year in Hawaii …Kung Hee Fat Choy (Happy Chinese New Year)!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9j8AIXwx2g

Lion Dance Video

Chinese New Year officially began on February 14th, 2010 of this year and welcomes in the Year of the Tiger. Based on the lunar calendar (instead of the Gregorian or solar calendar most of us mark our years by), Chinese New Year begins anywhere between January 21st and February 20th. This Chinese festivity is commonly celebrated with lion dances, the Narcissus Festival, incense burning, “lucky” money in lee see (red envelopes) for the children, along with a slew of specialty foods that symbolize the New Year .

One of the aspects that give Hawaii the identity of “melting pot” of cultures is the loose and effortless way we adopt one another’s cultures as our own. Though my ethnicity is Japanese and my nationality is American, I watch the lion dances, smile as my son shows me his gift of lee see by one of the other classroom parents and munch my way through yet another handful of candied kumquats and lotus seed.

How did you make Chinese New Year part of your life this 2010?

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Photo Credit: Honolulu Advertiser

Yet, when you hear a local comfortably speak to another local, you sort of have to do a double take and ask, “What language is that?” It sounds foreign, but strangely familiar. I want to set the record straight that this is not Hawaiian, but it is a dominant dialect in Hawaii. We call this dialect pidgin.

Let me start off with a simple example. Howzit? It doesn’t even look like an English word, but it comes from a very familiar English phrase: How is it going? If you think about it long enough, pidgin starts to make sense, but in order for you to have a real pidgin conversation, perhaps it would be easier to learn where it came from.

Pidgin originates from the time when Hawaii opened its ports to European and American seafarers, and the cultures of all these different groups assimilated within our islands. The language grew as the local Hawaiian people conversed with missionaries, sea traders, and immigrant workers who tended to the land. Although English remained the backbone of the language, the different languages that were brought by these groups, like Japanese, Filipino, and Chinese, and of course, Hawaiian, contributed to our language of pidgin.

Some view the language as a degradation of the English language, but we view it in a much more positive light. Historically, this dialect allowed people of extremely different cultures to converse with each other and learn of each others own culture and traditions. On a more current note, it shows the assimilation of our culture—how Hawaii is not one, but a group of many cultures and traditions meshed together.

Further Pidgin Examples:

1. “Where you stay?”—Where are you?
2. “I get ‘em bumbye.”—I’ll do it later.
3. “No worries. I wen tell Judy ‘bout da movie.”—Don’t worry about it. I told Judy about the movie already.
4. Fo’get what I said da oddah day. I nevah mean ‘em.”—Forget about what I said the other day. I didn’t mean it.
5. “Take one leff, den go one oddah leff. Kay, try go little bit moa and den you gon’ see my house.”—Take a left, then another left. Then go a little bit further and then you’ll see my house.

Each island has their own pidgin language and further, districts within each island often have a different pidgin language as well.

For more about the pidgin dialect in Hawaii, check out the lists put together by PulpConnection.

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Hawaii Traditions seeks to acknowledge the ever-evolving local traditions, values, and culture of all of Hawaii. In our quest to learn more we’ve discovered that our traditions, values, and culture are appreciated and practiced all over the world. In our Aloha Abroad series, we acknowledge the people and organizations who help to perpetuate the affinity for Hawaii.

During my recent trip to Los Angeles, I was fortunate enough to be in the city during the 15th Annual E Hula Mau® competition. My experience with the Kamaiana in Southern California proved that the Aloha Spirit is alive in SoCal. Ka Halau Hula of Napua Ilima ‘O Kehaulani was one of the entrants in the competition, and Grammy nominated Kumu Hula Kehaulani Wilson agreed to an interview.

QUESTION 1: Let’s start from the beginning, what’s your Genesis, your Kumulipo?

My source comes from Ilima Hula Studio in Kalihi taught by Kumu Louise and Kumu Luka Kaleiki.My 1st uniki with them in 1974. My 2nd uniki was Kumu Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett from Oahu in 2006. I have also studied under Lucy Lee Hula Studio in Kaimuki and Studied under Mapuana De Silva for 2 years.

QUESTION 2: I have to ask because I wouldn’t be true to our Hawaii culture, but what school you went?

I graduated from Kauluwela Elementary school, Central Intermediate School and Mckinley High School located on Oahu, Hawaii. [Note: After learning that she too is a Mighty Tiger, my follow up question of course was, "What year you wen grad?" She's a proud member of the Class of 1974!]

QUESTION 3: California shares many similar traits to Hawaii; beaches, surfing, traffic; but can you share with our readers some insight into the Hawaii traditions, values, and culture…California style.

Here in San Diego we have been preserving the language, customs, music and ways of life as a hula dancer.

QUESTION 4: You’re the Kumu Hula of Napua Ilima ‘O Kehaulani, please share your the journey of your path with hula.

My journey started in Hawaii when I was 6 years old. My mom is 100% Hawaiian and wanted one of her children to carry on the Hawaiian traditions. I was chosen to carry-on that tradition. Being as young as I was my understanding of such a burden was not comprehensible. When I moved to the mainland in 1984 my thoughts of hula was retirement. Instead my destiny was to take me to San Diego to become a Kumu Hula. This was not planned it just happened. I have been teaching for over 20 years and going strong.

QUESTION 5: For someone from Hawaii considering moving to California what kind of advice would you give?

When you feel homesick for Hawaii there are ways to make your stay a bit more satisfying. Checkout the halau’s in your area, look into the hui that are involved with Hawaiiana. A good source to check would be Aloha World. They have many connections with the Hawaiian Community. This will keep you close to home.

QUESTION 6: What’s your favorite sound, smell from Hawaii?

My favorite sound from Hawaii is the Hawaiian music and the smell of the plumerias and different flowers of Hawaii.

QUESTION 7: What organizations or clubs are you involved with that continue the traditions, values, and culture of Hawaii?

The Hui O Hawaii of San Diego and Kulia I Ka Punawai Association (Kumu Hula Association of Southern California).

QUESTION 8: Share with our readers what’s coming up for the remainder of 2009 and 2010 for you, your halau, and organizations?

We have just completed the 2009 E Hula Mau Competition and the 15th Pacific Islander Festival. We are now preparing for the 2009 Kori Kori Tahitian Competition in Las Vegas. For 2010, preparation for E Hula Mau and San Jose Tahiti Fete as well as Kulia I Ka Punawai presentation of Queen Liliuokalani concert.

As you can see, Kehaulani has provided a glimpse into the many ways Hawaii’s traditions, values, and culture continue to thrive outside of the islands. She shares, “We as a Hawaiian Nation need to carry on the traditions and culture of Hawaii no matter where we are living. The spirit of Aloha and Ohana travels as far as it takes us. We should never forget where we come from….Live Hawaii!”

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About 7 years ago I attended a barbecue at a friends house and he brought out (2) square wooden box covered with a piece of rug with a hole cut out in the center and (6) 4″ washers.

He placedthe boxes 25ft. apart and gave (3) washers for each 2-member team. Each member would toss the washers trying to get it into the slightly larger hole. The point system is as customized as the boxes themselves, but here’s how we score each toss:

• 1-point for landing the washer on top of the box
• 2-points if you lean your washer on the back side of the box
• 3-points for putting washer in the hole

We played for the entire evening that first night and wondered who the brilliant person was behind this.  He suggested that a crew from the Pearlharbor Shipyard had built the first set of boxes and invented the game, but it’s commonly seen at picnic’s, tailgating, camping, and just about every backyard barbecue.

What unique game or sport has your community invented?

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I had doubts about how Harvard was going to go about making itself Hawaiian and they proved highly valid, as the most Hawaiian things about Aloha Harvard were the plastic leis people were given as prizes and, perhaps, the hula dancers, who taught the audience how to do the hookie lau.  I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sad excuse of huli huli chicken or the “Kaula pork” the menu promised.  The “Hawaiian feast” also included saimin, fried plantains, vegetable kabobs, jello and fruit salad, and a desert of smores.  Clearly, excepting the first item, none of dishes were remotely Hawaiian, and the huli huli chicken and “Kaula pork” were entirely unrecognizable as the local kine grindz we all know and love.  The huli huli chicken was baked chicken with some sweetish sauce on it, and the “Kaula pork” didn’t even taste like meat.  To give Harvard credit, though, the saimin was tolerable.  It is, after all, very difficult to mess up.

Unfortunately, I was not able to sample the coconut curry, which sounded very interesting, if not very Hawaiian.

The Aloha Harvard activities were equally entertaining in their un-Hawaiian-ness.  There was an inflatable surf machine and a dunking station, both of which attracted boisterous crowds; a badminton game; a volleyball game; a smoothie stand (with a ridiculously intimidating line); a hula hoop area; and minuscule containers of brownish, gritty sand with which people could make sandcastles out of even smaller buckets.  Of all these choices, I enjoyed hula hooping the most, as my roommate impressed me with her talent of being able to do seven hoops at once.

While the welcome back event definitely wasn’t very Hawaiian, I definitely felt the spirit of aloha, as cheesy as that sounds.  Everyone I’ve met–at Aloha Harvard and otherwise–is not just astoundingly accomplished, but very personable.  I definitely was not expecting this level of openness and friendliness, not to mention fascination with Hawaii.  Whenever I introduce myself, the fact that I’m from Hawaii elicits an excitement akin to that the international students receive. (“You’re from Hawaii?  Oh wow.”)  I had never thought much about it before, but I am really beginning to realize how special Hawaii is and how lucky I am to be able to call it my home.

Why is Hawaii special to you?

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Today, a new world record with ties to Hawaii’s culture could be set in — Chicago, Illinois at The Fest for Beatles Fans. The Fest organizers together with Wonderwall Music Shop and Emporium will gather a thousand ukulele players to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest ukulele ensemble.

The effort is spearheaded by Hawaii local girl now living in Oak Park, Illinois, Gigi Wong-Monaco. Wong-Monaco’s Hawaiian roots called her back to playing the ukulele a few years ago and wanted to play with others who shared the same passion. By the summer of 2008, she found some ukulele players and started practicing together in an effort to set a record at The Fest. They did, with 28 players, half who just joined her core group onstage that weekend, including renowned artists and musicians.

Since setting her sights on the world record attempt, a group of 938 strummed for 1-minute at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in February of this year, and this past June at the London Uke Festival more than doubled their previous record with 851 ukulele players.

The attempt takes place tonight at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare at 8:30 p.m.

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Japanese Traditions, now Hawaii Traditions

• One of the most common practices are removing our shoes before entering our own or someones home.
• Perhaps the most embraced cultural practice is Japanese food: sushi, musubi, teriyaki, and more!
• Hina Matsuri or Girls’ Day is a very popular tradition as well as,
• Tango-no-Sekku or Boys’ Day with flying banner fishes.

The integration of the Japanese culture and traditions into what is modern day Hawaii culture, and my favorite are the annual Bon Dances.

Bon Odori originates from the story of Mokuren, a disciple of the Buddha, who used his supernatural powers to look upon his deceased mother. He discovered she had fallen into the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and was suffering. Greatly disturbed, he went to the Buddha and asked how he could release his mother from this realm. Buddha instructed him to make offerings to the many Buddhist monks who had just completed their summer retreat, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. The disciple did this and, thus, saw his mother’s release. He also began to see the true nature of her past unselfishness and the many sacrifices that she had made for him. The disciple, happy because of his mother’s release and grateful for his mother’s kindness, danced with joy. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori or “Bon Dance”, a time in which ancestors and their sacrifices are remembered and appreciated. See also: Ullambana Sutra.  — Wikipedia Bon Festival

Traditionally in Japan, Bon Dance Festivals were celebrated by the entire village or region. Each part would have their own style of song and dance often depicting the way of their lifestyle in that village. A mass is held at a Buddhist temple or church with the festival outside in the court yard. Many are dressed in traditional Kimono, Yukata, and Happi Coats.

Photo Credit: Rickyli99

The actual dance is done by going clockwise around the Yagura tower — typically built specifically for the festival with the music being played through speakers or from traditional Taiko Drums.

These summer festivals are held June thru September and  are a part of summer that most of us look forward too. Check the schedule for a Bon Dance near you and try something new! Let’s ODORI!

• Oahu 2009 Bon Dance Schedule
• Maui, Big Island, and Kauai 2009 Bon Dance Schedule

Enjoy a short video of the recent Bon Dance in Waipahu.

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The historic origins of the hula are as complex and graceful as the dance itself. The mythical stories vary and are specific to each island. Goddess Laka gave birth to the hula in Ka’ana on the island of Moloka’i where her remains are also buried. On the Big Island, legendary goddess Pele ordered her sisters to dance for her, and only Hi’iaka stepped forward to perform. Another tells of fiery Pele fleeing from her sister, Namakaokaha’i (the goddess of the oceans) and finding refuge on the isle of Hawaii. To express her gratitude of being far away from water, Pele danced a hula.

Photo by: Joe Philipson of Philipson Photography

As fascinating as the legends are, the more likely beginnings of the art of the hula were a form of communication between the Hawaiian people. A means of sharing stories between its people and generations, as well as in celebration and entertainment.

Unfortunately, unlike Captain James Cook and Albert de Chamisso, the Missionaries balked at the hula thus beginning the decline of its art in the Hawaiian culture. The dance became secret and hidden, and by 1851 public performances were allowed via licensing and performance fees. [Read more about the Missionaries and the Decline of Hula.]

Inspired by the efforts of King David Kalakaua and Princess Ruth Keelikolani to revive the traditional arts, Hawaii experienced a cultural renaissance in the late 1960′s. Interest in not only the hula, but Hawaiian language, music, history and awareness surged amongst the people. Heavily marketed as a tourist attraction, hula began returning to more traditional forms. [Read more about Hawaii's Cultural Renaissance.]

The are several different forms of hula each of which describes movement or position, but have been distinguished between two different categories: kahiko and ‘auana.

This is just an introduction to the art of hula. We will be featuring the kumu, historians, dancers, halau, implements, and events both locally and globally. If you’re a dancer, kumu, historian, or event organizer and would like to be featured on Hawaii Traditions, please let us know.

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