Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 2, 1 February 1992 — Hawaiʻi hymns seminars set [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiʻi hymns seminars set

Martha Poepoe Hohu and daughter, Leila Hohu Kiaha, will lead a seminar on "Hawaiian Hymns" with emphasis on the meaning and history of the hymns from 9-10 a.m. on Sunday

Feb. 2 and Feb. 9, at Nuuanu Congregational Church, 2651 Pali Highway. The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information, eail the church office, 595-3935. Aunty Martha has edited two Hawaiian hymnals. "Na Himene" is widely used by churches throughout the state. She has been organist and choir director for over 60 years at Kaumakapili Church. Her father, the Rev. Henry Poepoe, was the minister when she accepted the job in

1924. She commutes on alternate Wednesdays to Hana, Maui, to direct the Hana Hotel choral group where she has been director for 25 years. She is also the director for the Hawaiian Hectric Choral Group, one of the first community choral groups in Hawai'i. In 1969, she was selected Hawaii's Mother of the Year. She also commuted weekly for over 10 years to Kalaupapa to lead the choral group and was the choral director of the graduating nurses of Queens' Medical Center for over 30 years.

Leila Hohu Kiaha, the church organist, is eomposer and arranger of Hawaiian songs and hymns. She is director for the Hawaiian Telephone and Hawaiian Village Hotel choral groups. Mother and daughter, both graduates of Kamehameha Schools, have arranged songs for the Kamehameha Schools annual song contest for several years.

Martha Poepoe Hohu

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