I Mua E Na Poki`i represents a contemporary native voice, one that is rooted in ancestral ways and yet responsive to the social and political challenges that impact Kanaka Maoli (indigenous people of Hawai`i) of this generation. Each year in March, Kamehameha Schools sponsors its Song Contest, an 80-plus year tradition where high school classes compete in Hawaiian a cappella choral singing. While the judges' scores are tallied, students put on a large-scale Hawaiian multi-media production featuring hula, song, and dramatic arts. It is called Ho`ike, which means "a show" or "to reveal." Ho`ike is an artistic showcase that entertains as well as communicates empowering messages to the Hawaiian community and the world. Newly-composed chants and songs are often performed in the Ho`ike, but when the production is over, most of those pieces are never heard again. The concept for this album was born from a desire to revive that repertoire, rework it for the contemporary Hawaiian ear, and reintroduce it to that community. As a result, some of the musical arrangements and stylings are a departure from the conservative musical tradition that has characterized Kamehameha Schools over the last century.
Classic literature such as Kumulipo and Eia Hawai`i are situated in poetic soundscapes as their respective stories unfold. Queen Lili`uokalani is remembered in her moments of grandeur and sorrow. Devotion to the `aina (land) and the recounting of heroic deeds inspire a sense of duty and pride. The inclusion of mele ma`i for King Kalakaua and his wife, Queen Kapi`olani, help to reaffirm culturally acceptable references to sexuality and the esteem associated with chants of procreation. Youthful expressions of allegiance to the land and the native people spur feelings of hope and promise for the future. |
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Songs:
Sound clips courtesy Ka`iwakiloumoku Hawaiian Cultural Center.
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