Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 5, 1 May 2005 — WELO IS KANAKA ʻOLE'S POWERFUL EXPRESSION OF ʻHULIHIAʻ [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WELO IS KANAKA ʻOLE'S POWERFUL EXPRESSION OF ʻHULIHIAʻ

By Manu Boyd / W 1 ulihia' means to overturn or completely change. In his second CD, titled Welo , M M or "ancestry," Kaumakaiwa "Lopaka" Kanaka'ole brings about change by reaching back to his heritage and expressing it through bold new musical compositions in whieh 'ōlelo Hawai'i is infused with progressive sounds and rhythms. "I took things a bit further, exploring other genres of music and other sounds," Kanaka'ole said. "There's acoustic rock, Aameneo, classical. I don't really want to be known as a contemporary artist, but I'd say I'm a contemporary traditionalist because I appreciate progression. "But this project is really no different from Ha'i Kupuna," he said of his award-winning debut, released in 2003. "That one honored the specific 'welo' that I eome from: my ancestors. This project is not just to honor 'ohana, but the natural progression of Hawaiian

music. Eaeh generation, in succession, composing classics for their time. I like to hō'oia (affirm) the idea that younger artists need to 'auamo (caiTy) the kuleana of composition. They should see the importance of haku mele and not to be afraid of it." Among the CD's many originals, Pua O Ka Nahele has a distinct Aameneo flair and was composed with Lopaka's grandmother Pualani Kanaka'ole Kanahele in mind. "It reflects her air, her lawena," he explained. "That's how I see her, how she canies herself. She is commanding but has a very calming presence - very subtle. The Aameneo guitar reflects her when she likes to be 'fab' in her showmanship. She's a strong traditionalist, but she ean push the envelope, too." E ō e Kupu 'eu Nā Pae Moku documents a huaka'i, or trip, aboard Hōkūle 'a to Nihoa, one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. "Kupu'eu Nā Pae Moku was the name of our traveling gang," Lopaka said. "From first light to last light, the colors were vivid. Pink, orange, yellow - like the 'ohai and 'ilima." At first, he said, he

imagined a harpsichord in this song, "kind of English sailor type

music," but instead guitars handle the job in an energetic perfonnance that includes the teasing refrain, "'eā lā, lā 'ehehene." Lullabies are for infants, but in a generational twist Mele Hi'i Pēpē is composed for his mother, Kekuhi Kanahele-Frias, herself an award-winning recording artist and a pillar in the family's hula school, Hālau O Kekuhi. "When my mom gave birth to my two baby sisters, she became a different person. I would watch her and saw a refreshing side of motherhood. I saw her nurturing, one Kekuhi to another. This song is to comfort her, like a blanket of moonlight," he said. Welo is artfully packaged by Kanaka'ole's cousin Kūha'o Zane, son of celebrated Hilo clothing designer Sig Zane and Kumu Hula Nālani Kanaka'ole. Kūha'o follows in his dad's footsteps as a graphic artist and a partner in the Hilo-based Sig Zane Designs. The CD art is simple yet striking, including subtle elements that collectively add to WeIo's mana: "The package is the See WELO on page 19

Mfi f 'Aii ana

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Photo: Courtesy of the Mountain Apple Company