Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 4, 1 April 2001 — Māhoe CD celebrates 21 years of hula and generations in Kailua [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Māhoe CD celebrates 21 years of hula and generations in Kailua

By Manu Boyd Speaking of Merrie Monarch, the kumu hula of the multi award-winning Hālau Hula o Kawaili'ulā, Chinky Māhoe, has emerged into the loeal recording industry. " Kalapawai Ku 'u One Hānau " is a tribute to Māhoe's family kuleana land at Kailua where generations of both his mother's and father's 'ohana have lived, just a stone's throw from Kailua bay. "Mika Lawai'a " is a great starter, recalling Hawaiian fishermen, like Māhoe's own grandfather. A bass line theme, I'll bet by Producer Kata Maduli, sets the momentum with pahu drum, guitar and a chorus periodically exclaiming "lawai'a!" (fisherman). Regular performers in Māhoe's hālau-aeeom-panying trio include Charlene Kalae Campbell and 'ōlelo Hawai'i aficionado, 'Iokepa De Santos, who also serves as co-composer on two selections. "Mea Pā'ani Kinipōpō," the Māhoe/De Santos

tribute to University of Hawai'i at Mānoa athletics, is a hoot. Performed years ago at Merrie Monarch and also at the Queen Lili'uokalani Keiki Hula Festival, the popular pieee describes touchdowns; sets and volleys; soccer scores; and slam dunks in true le'ale'a fashion.

Among guests on the project are the Mākaha Sons who regularly feature Māhoe's troupe in Hawai'i gigs and , "on the road." The May 27 Mākaha 1 Bash at the Waiklkī Shell will no r doubt showcase tandem perform- / ances by the Sons and the hālau. a Moon, John and Jerome smoothly Ip ehime in on "Pikake Mine," an original for Māhoe's wife, Linda.

Moon's guitar and 'ukulele dot the project with elean instrumentation. "Kalapawai Ku 'u One Hānau" features lovely vocals by Charlene Campbell, herself a dancer for such late greats as Leilani Sharpe Mendez and Darrell Lupenui. Her performance lilts and

sways like an adept dancer begging the question, "Ever consider your own CD?" The combination of both hula songs and traditional chants on recordings may seem to be a recent trend with a barrage of hālau-generated CDs, but Māhoe's own kumu, Darrell 'Ihi'ihi-

lauākea Lupenui, was doing just that |a more than 20 years ago. W Remember " Kāwika " and " Lili'u ■ ē?" Aunty Mālia Craver's haunt- | ing composition for Lupenu's [ female troupe, "Ke 'Ala o ka Laua'e," recalls the cries of such native birds as the 'io, 'iwa, pueo and nēnē in " Nā Uē o nā Manu." Māhoe's debut is easy listening.

toe-tapping, hula music that will delight you with a mix of old and new. "I thank everyone who has supported Kawailu'ulā over the past 21 years. May we eontinue to please you with our music and dance," said Māhoe, adding his thanks to Akua. ■

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