No Eddie Kamae

No Edward Leilani Kamae, ʻo ke mele kona ʻōlelo ola. Mea maila, ʻaʻole i paʻa kūpono kekahi mele inā ʻaʻole kulu ka waimaka. ʻImi akula ʻo ia i nā mele i poina ʻia a hoʻomahele ma o ke kaila kahiko a me ka ʻauana ma ka manawa hoʻokahi. Hoʻohana ʻo ia i ke mele, a ma hope mai, ke kiʻiʻoniʻoni, ma ke ʻano he ala e mālama ai i ka moʻomeheu, e ʻimi ana me ka hoʻokaʻa pū i nā mele a me nā moʻolelo o nā kūpuna e like me kāna mau kumu i paipai ai. Paipai mai lākou iā ia e hana no nā keiki a me nā hanauna e hiki mai ana.

He uʻi maoli nō kona mau noʻeau a me nā hanana i hoʻokō ʻia nāna. Kapa maila ʻo ka nūpepa ʻo The New York Times iā ia, ʻo ia kekahi o nā hoʻokani pila nui loa o ka hapalua hope o ke kenekulia he iwakālua. ʻIke ʻia maila ka ʻoihana, he ʻelima kekeke ka lōʻihi, ma ka hoʻokumu a me ka mālama pū i ke mele Hawaiʻi. Waiho ʻia maila kahi hoʻoilina nui ma kona hala ʻana ma ka makahikoi 2017 ma ʻekolu māhele: ʻo ke mele ʻoe, ʻo nā kiʻiʻoniʻoni moʻomeheu i mahalo nui ʻia ʻoe, a ʻo kahi waihona ʻike i piha i nā kumuwaiwai nō ʻoe.

Hānau ʻia ʻo Kamae ma ka lā ʻehā o ʻAukake ma ka makahiki 1927 ma Honolulu na Alice Ululani ʻŌpūnui lāua me Samuel Hoapili Kamae. Hānai ʻia nō ʻo ia ma ka hale ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma kahi mahikō Pākē i kokoke iā Chinatown a noho pū me kona kupuna wahine ma nā kauwela ma Lahaina. ʻIke mua ia hoʻokani pila nei nāna i hoʻoholomua ma ka huki ʻana mai ke kahua pana a i ke alo kani pākahi me ka pila iā ia i hoʻokani ai na kona kaikuaʻana i hoʻihoʻi mai ai i ka hale.

ʻO ke kaila mele a Eddie ʻōpiopio i hoihoi ʻole ai, ʻo ia hoʻi ka mea i noi mai ai kona makuakāne e hoʻokani: ʻo ka Hawaiʻi, ʻoiai ʻo ia i manaʻo ai he keu a ka maʻalahi. No laila, koho ʻo ia i nā mele makemake nui ʻia e like me ke mele lākina, a pēlā pū ka hoʻokani panina a ua ʻike ʻia nō ʻo ia no kahi ʻano laha ʻole ma ka hoʻokani pū ʻana i ka pana o ke mele a me ka melokia ma ka manawa hoʻokahi. Hoʻokani akula ʻo ia no ka uku lawelawe ma Charlie’s Cab Stand a hoʻokumu iā ʻUkulele Rascals me Shoi Ikemi. Hui pū lāua me ke alakaʻi pana ʻo Ray Kinney no kahi kaʻapuni mai kahi kapa kai a i kahi kapa kai o ʻAmelika Mokuhonua ma ka makahiki 1949.

Aʻo aku ʻo Eddie i ka ʻukulele me ka hoʻokani pū ma nā ʻaha like ʻole no ke kākoʻo iā ia iho. Ma ka makahiki 1958, hōʻike hoʻokahi ʻia ʻo ia ma ka ʻaha ʻo Haunani Kahalewai i kapa ʻia ʻo Top o’ the Isle ma ka hōkele ʻo Waikīkī Biltmore. I kekahi pō, kaʻana mai ʻo Haunani iā ia i nā ʻāpana pepa mele laulahi mele i loli mai ai kona lauwili manaʻo no ke mele Hawaiʻi. Pā ikaika ihola kona naʻau iā “Kuʻu Pua I Paoakalani” na ka Mōʻī Wahine ʻo Liliʻuokalani a hoʻokele ʻia ʻo ia i ke ala o ka hoʻopaʻa haʻawina, ka noiʻi, ka hoʻōla a me ka hoʻokani ʻana i ke mele Hawaiʻi.

Ma ka makahiki 1959, kalaiwa akula ʻo Eddie i Waimānalo no ke kipa aku i kona mau hoa a ma laila ʻo Gabby Pahinui hākaneo. Noi maila ʻo Gabby iā ia e noho mai a e hoʻokani pū me ia. Ma muli o kā Gabby ʻano akamai a kaila Hawaiʻi ma ka hoʻokani, kupu maila he hoʻoluʻu mele he hoʻokahi mahina ka lōʻihi a manaʻo ihola ʻo Eddie: “Lohe ʻia nō ka leo ʻuhane e ʻōlelo mai ana a ʻo ka maopopo ihola nō ia o ka ʻōlelo a koʻu makuakāne e aʻoaʻo ana mai iaʻu no ke mele Hawaiʻi. Ma laila ma Waimānalo, ʻo māua wale nō, e kahe wale mai ana nā moʻolelo holoʻokoʻa o Hawaiʻi ma o ko Gabby leo.” ʻO kēlā lā ka lā e alakaʻi ai i ke koena o ko Eddie ola.

Hoʻōla hou ʻia ʻo Gabby i ka laulima a lāua a laila mai ka hoʻokumu ʻia o kekahi o nā hui mele kaulana loa ma Hawaiʻi a mau nō a i kēia lā ma hope mai o ke kuapo pinepine ʻia o nā hoʻokani: ʻo ka Sons of Hawaiʻi. Hui pū mai ʻo Gabby lāua ʻo Eddie me ʻelua hoʻokani kaulana: ʻo ka hoʻokani kīkā kila ʻo David “Feet” Rogers a me ka hoʻokani pila nui ʻo Joe Marshall. Ma ka hui pū ʻana mai, paʻi ʻia nā pāleo makemake nui ʻia ma nā 1960 a me nā 1970 e hōʻike ana i nā mele i kū i nā oli me nā mele Hawaiʻi kahiko akā, ua hoʻokani ʻia ma ke ʻano kikoʻī ma ke kaila pana ikaika. Lilo maila kā lākou mau mele i mau mele no ke aukahi moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi, he kāhea e makaʻala ai i nā waiwai kuʻuna e hoʻokahua ai i ke ao Hawaiʻi—me ke aloha ʻāina pū kekahi—e nalo ana. Ma ka makahiki 1970, kūʻai maila ʻo Eddie Kamae i mau palaka uliuli—he lau kaulana ma ka wā mahi kō a he hōʻailona no ka haʻaheo o ka poʻe makaʻāinana—no nā hoa hoʻokani e komo ma ka hoʻokani ʻana ma ka Hāna Hoʻolauleʻa Music Festival. Mai ia manawa mai, komo ihola ka Sons of Hawaiʻi i palaka ma ka hoʻokani ʻana. Ua pinepine nō ka hoʻolauna iā lākou iho me, “ʻO mākou nō ʻo The Sons of Hawaiʻi a he Hawaiʻi hoʻi mākou.”

Ma ka hoʻokani mua ʻana ma ka Sand Box ma kahi ʻoihana ʻo Mauli Ola (Sand Island) ma Honolulu, hoʻāloha maila kekahi hoa anaina iā Eddie. Aloha nui ʻo Kurt Johnson i ke mele a ka Sons of Hawaiʻi a kono pū ʻo ia iā Eddie e launa mai me kekahi hoaaloha o kona makuahine i hiki ke kōkua aku ai iā ia ma ka hoʻonui ʻike no nā mele āna e hoʻokani ana. “ʻO Kawena Pukui ke akamai loa i kamaʻāina mai ai au. Inā ʻiʻo ʻoe, e hoʻolauna au iā ʻoe me ia,” wahi a Kurt i ʻōlelo aku mai ai iā Eddie.

Hoʻomau Eddie, hoʻomau

ʻO Mary Kawena Pukui ka heke o ko Hawaiʻi akeakamai, he kumuwaiwai ola o ka ʻike kuʻuna. He kālaiʻōlelo ʻoe, he unuhi ʻoe, he kahu moʻokūʻauhau ʻoe, he haku mele ʻoe, he kumu hula ʻoe, a he haʻi moʻolelo nō ʻoe: he waihona ʻike nō hoʻi kona waihona noʻonoʻo. He haku ʻo ia no 150 mau mele me nā oli a he mea kākau a i ʻole he kōkua kākau no 52 mau puke me nā ʻatikala. Mai ka launa mua, lilo maila ʻo Kawena ʻo ia ke kumu nui loa ma ko Eddie ola. Paipai maila nō ʻo ia i kāna noiʻi a haʻi aku nō naʻe iā ia no ka lawa ʻole o kāna noiʻi ma ka hale waihona puke a waihona ʻike e maopopo ai ʻo ia i ka piko o ke mele Hawaiʻi.  “Aia nō ma ʻō aku. Aia ma nā awāwa a i nā kaona liʻiliʻi, a hiki aku i ke kuaʻāina. Aia hoʻi ma ia mau wahi o kākou.” Mea maila ʻo ia e hele kino nō i laila a loaʻa ka ʻike i hoʻokaʻa aku a hoʻokaʻa mai ma nā ʻohana, ʻo ia kahi mea i hopohopo ai ʻo ia, ʻo ia hoʻi ka nalo o nā mele.

He lokomaikaʻi nō ʻo Kawena ma ka manaʻo me ka ʻuhane. Mea maila ʻo Eddie, “ʻŌlelo maila ʻo ia, ʻMa ka manawa hou aku ʻoe e kipa mai ai iaʻu, e lawe pū mai i kāu wahine no ka mea makemake au e launa me ia.’ Kelepona akula au i kekahi lā me ka nīnau inā hiki iaʻu ke kipa aku iā ia, a pane maila ʻo ia ʻhiki’ me ʻe lawe mai i kāu wahine.’ A kipa akula māua ʻo kaʻu wahine iā Kawena i kekahi lā mai. Kūkākūkā maila mākou no kaʻu hana noiʻi, a unuhi i kaʻu hana. Pau kahi hola, ʻo ka haʻi akula au iā Kawena, ʻE haʻalele aku au.’ Hiō akula au iā ia no ka honi me ka mahalo. Nānā maila ʻo ia iaʻu me ka ʻōlelo, ʻInā he pilikia kou no kāu wahine, no Myrna hoʻi, ua hewa nō ʻoe. ʻOiai, na kāu wahine e kōkua ai iā ʻoe ma ka hanana o kou ola.’”

Wahi a Eddie, “ʻAʻole loa i lohe koʻu pepeiao i kahi ʻōlelo ʻino i ʻōlelo ʻia maila na Kawena no kekahi kanaka. He aloha me ka hōʻihi wale nō. ʻŌlelo maila ʻo ia, ʻhe lumi ko ka puʻuwai no ke kala aku.’ ʻŌlelo hou aku ʻo Eddie, “ʻŌlelo au ma ke kipa mua aku iā Kaʻū, ʻaloha pū mai ʻo Kawena Pukui.’ Ma ia manawa nō i hōʻike ʻia maila ke aloha iaʻu, me ke aloha nui no Kawena.”

“He aloha ʻo Kawena”

“Ma o nā makahiki e kipa ana au iā Kawena ma kona hale me ka hōʻike pū i kaʻu noiʻi. Iaʻu ma ka ʻīpuka, e mahalo aku ana, ʻōlelo mai ʻo Kawena iaʻu, ʻe hoʻomau e Eddie, e hoʻomau.’”

Hele pū akula ʻo Eddie ma kahi huakaʻi me Kawena i loli ai kona ola ke noi aku ʻo ia iā Eddie lāua me Myrna e hele pū mai ma Kaʻū. Kipa akula lākou i nā wahi i hānai ʻia ai ʻo ia me ke aʻo pū mai kona kupunahine. Ma ka hopena o ka lā, ma ka hale o ʻAnakala Willie Meinecke ma Nāʻālehu, ʻōlelo maila ʻo Kawena iā Eddie, “Makemake au e launa ʻoe me ka haku mele o Waipiʻo, ʻo Sam Liʻa.” ʻAʻohe ʻike o Eddie no Sam. ʻŌlelo maila ʻo Kawena, “ʻʻO ia nō ke kū hoʻokahi. ʻAʻohe lua e like ai. Haku ʻo ia ma ke ʻano kahiko, e Eddie. ʻAʻole ʻike kekahi kanaka i ka nui o kāna mau mele, a i ʻole kahi o ia mau mele. Kākau ʻo ia ma ka Hawaiʻi a hāʻawi wale aku me ke aloha. Ma ko kākou wā, ʻaʻohe lua e like ai me ia.”

Nōhie ka hoʻokani, nahenahe ka hoʻokani

Ma ko Eddie huakaʻi mua e kipa iā Sam Liʻa, kalaiwa loa akula ʻo ia mai Hilo a i Kukuihaele a hiki aku nō i kahi hale lāʻau ma kahi o ka hale hoʻolauna kahiko. Ma laila i ʻike aku ai kahi keonimana oʻo ma kona lānai, e noho kua pali ana ma kona noho me he hanohano lā. E komo ana i kahi paleʻili keʻokeʻo, he kāʻawe me kahi paʻa lole ʻeleʻele, he kanaka me ka makaaniani kala, he wana hine ke poʻo me kahi ʻumiʻumi i ʻōlelo maila, “Mahuʻi ana au iā ʻoe.”

Hānau ʻia maila ʻo Samuel Liʻaokeaumoe Kalāinaina ma ka makahiki 1881 ma Waipiʻo na Malaka lāua me Samuel Kalāinaina, he hoʻokahi o ka ʻumikūmākahi keiki. Ma ka makahiki 1913, male ʻo ia iā Sarah Kapela Kaiwipoepoe Pupulenui a loaʻa maila ʻelua keiki. He mahi kalo nō ʻo ia ma kona ola, he mea ulele kēpau, he kalaiwa kaʻa lio, he hamo puna, he hoʻoponopono alanui a he luna. Eia nō naʻe, ʻo ke mele ka mea i ola ai ʻo ia. Hoʻokani ʻo ia i ka waiolina, ka ʻukulele, ke kīkā, ka panakiō, ka piano a me ka ʻokana a hiki i ka hopena o kona ola. ʻO ia ka hoʻokani ʻokana no kona halepule a aʻo aku nō ʻo ia i ka papa hīmeni ma ke ʻano he kumu ahonui. He māhele a he alakaʻi nō ʻo ia no kekahi mau hui hīmeni a ma ka nīnau aku iā ia no ke alakaʻi ʻana i kona mau hui, pane maila, “E ʻae iā lākou a pau pākahi e hōʻike aku i kahi manaʻo e like me ko lākou makemake e hoʻokani, a e hōʻike i ke ʻano o ko lākou makemake e koekoe pū me ʻoe. ʻAe aku au e hana pēla a ʻo kaʻu ʻōlelo wale aku nō, ʻnōhie ka hoʻokani, nahenahe ka hoʻokani, ʻaʻole e poina i ka pana, a ʻaʻole e poina i ka melokia.’”

Kākau maila ʻo Liʻa i nā mele he nui wale a makana aku pū ʻo ia i nā mele he nui kekahi me ka ʻōlelo, “nāu kēia mele.” Ma ke akamai ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻo ia hoʻi kāna ʻōlelo mua, me nā maka o kahi haku poema, ʻike ʻo ia i nā wahi a puni ʻo ia, mai ka ʻāina nani o Waipiʻo a hiki loa aku i ka hiʻohiʻona ʻāina kiwikā o Maunalua (Hawaiʻi Kai) a haku nō ʻo ia i nā mele nani a kuanoʻo i piha i ke aloha no ka mea āna e manaʻo mai ana. Hoʻokaʻa aku ʻo Sam i kāna mau mele no Waipiʻo me Eddie ma ke ʻano Hawaiʻi kahiko. Mele ʻo Eddie no kekahi a haku nō ʻo ia i ke ea no nā mele a pau. Komo ihola ka haʻaheo i loko o Eddie i ka hīmeni a hoʻokani i nā mele a Sam.

He pili kāmau ko Sam lāua me Eddie no ʻehā makahiki, ʻo ia hoʻi ka wā i haku pū ai lāua kekahi me kekahi, ʻoki i nā mele a me nā oli ma ka līpine ʻaukio, holoholo akula ma o Waipiʻo me ka moʻolelo aku a moʻolelo mai. ʻO ka hoʻolohe kā Eddie. Nanea pū lāua kekahi me kekahi ma ko Sam lānai a i ʻole ma kona lumi hoʻokipa me ona laulahi mele, nā puke, ka waiolina me ka papa pihi piano. Ma kekahi kipa aku, nīnau akula ʻo Eddie no ko Sam maopopo ʻana i kona hōʻea aku. Wehewehe maila ʻo Sam no kā Kawena kākau ʻana i leka nona e wehewehe ana no ko Eddie kipa aku iā ia. Inā loaʻa iā Eddie kekahi kahu aʻoaʻo, ʻike maila ʻo Sam i kahi mea āna e ʻimi mai ana me ka hoʻomanawanui pū e launa. ʻŌlelo maila ʻo Sam, “Kali ka poʻe i kahi poʻe kūpono e hōʻea mai.”

Wahi a Eddie, ma kekahi lā i kipa aku ai ʻo ia iā Sam, ʻike akula ʻo ia i kahi pepa kakaha ma ko Sam ʻūhā. “E hana ana ʻo ia ma kahi mele. Kākau ʻia nō nā huaʻōlelo ma kekahi mau pepa a nahae ihola, nānā maila iaʻu me ka ʻōlelo, ʻnāu nō kēia mau mea.’ Pane akula au, “E hāʻawi aku i kēia i kō ʻohana’ a pane maila ʻo ia, ʻʻAʻole, hāʻawi ʻia aku nō kēia iā ʻoe me ke aloha.’” No Eddie, he kanaka aloha nō ʻo Sam.

E hana i kēia manawa ʻānō, o nalo

E like hoʻi me Mary Kawena Pukui, alakaʻi maila ʻo Pilahi Paki iā Eddie ma kona huakaʻi. He haku poema Hawaiʻi, he akeakamai, he haku moʻolelo, a he kumu nō, hānau ʻia ʻo ia ma Maui he hanauna like hoʻi ʻo ia no Kawena me ka poʻe ʻē aʻe i komo i ka noiʻi akeakamai. Kaulana nō ʻo ia no kāna ʻōlelo koʻikoʻi no ke aloha ma ka makahiki 1970 ma kahi ʻAha Kiaʻāina e pili i ka makahiki 2000, ʻo ia ka mea i lilo i pila i hoʻolaha ʻia akula he kānāwai na ke kiaʻāina ʻo George Ariyoshi, nāna i ʻōlelo aku, “ʻO ke aloha ka ʻiʻo o ke kānāwai o ka Mokuʻāina o Hawaiʻi.”

Hoʻolauna pū ʻia ʻo Eddie me Pilahi na Kurt Johnson. Pinepine ko Pilahi kipa aku i ka makuahine o Kurt, ʻo Rachel ka inoa, ma kona hale ma Hakipuʻu ma ke Koʻolau i mea e kūkākūkā pū ai no nā kumuhana he nui wale no ka ʻike Hawaiʻi. Ma ka hui ʻana, nīnau maila ʻo Pilahi iā Eddie, “He aha kāu hana?” Pane akula ʻo Eddie, “No laila, hōʻike akula au iā ia i kekahi o kaʻu mau hana noiʻi. Hāʻawi mai ʻo ia i kona helu kelepona me ka ʻōlelo, ʻE kelepona mai. Noho au ma Kailua. E kelepona mai iaʻu ma kahi manawa āu e makemake ai e ʻike mai a e walaʻau mai.’”

Launa ʻo Eddie lāua me Pilahi i ka wā i kupu maila nā nīnau o Eddie e pili ana i kāna noiʻi mele. ʻŌlelo maila ʻo ia, “ʻOʻoleʻa nō kona ʻano. Iā ia e walaʻau aku ana, ʻaʻohe ona minoʻaka. ʻŌlelo wale aku nō ʻo ia i ka ʻoiaʻiʻo. Makemake au i kēlā. Lokomaikaʻi nō a mālama ʻo ia me ka hoʻomaopopo mau mai, ʻE kelepona mai ke pono.’”

A laila mai, haku pū lāua i mele e pili ana i ko Pilahi manaʻo no ke aloha, ʻo “Aloha Chant.” Hoʻomanaʻo ihola ʻo Eddie i ka manawa i hāpai maila ʻo Pilahi i kona manaʻo no ke alakaʻina o ke aloha i ka honua pōpilikia. ʻŌlelo maila ʻo Eddie, “Ua makemake nō au i kēlā. No laila au i haku ai i ke mele no “Aloha Chant.” Haku nō lāua i ke mele kaulana a ka Sons, ʻo ia hoʻi ʻo “Kēlā Mea Whiffa” e wehewehe ana no kahi ʻala pelekunu ma Launiupoko ma Maui.

Ma ka makahiki 1979, hoʻohanohano ʻia nō ʻo Eddie he Living Treasure of Hawaiʻi na ka Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaiʻi. Ma ka ʻaha ma ka hale ʻaina ʻo Willows, huli maila ʻo Pilahi iā Eddie me ka ʻōlelo, “Ma hea ʻoe ma kēia hana āu e hana ana no nā makahiki he nui?” Pane akula ʻo Eddie, “Mau nō kaʻu e hana nei.” Nānā maila ʻo Pilahi iā Eddie me ka ʻōlelo ʻoʻoleʻa poina ʻole, “E hana nō i kēia manawa ʻānō o nalo.” Ma ka hale, hoʻokaʻa hou aku ʻo Eddie iā Myrna i kā Pilahi i ʻōlelo maila.

Ua ʻikea ke koʻikoʻi ʻoiaʻiʻo o kāna ʻōlelo. ʻO ia nō hoʻi ka mea e hoʻokumu aku ai i ka ʻoihana ʻelua no Eddie—he haku kiʻiʻoniʻoni.

He waihona waiwai no ke kuanaʻike kūpuna

Hoʻomaka akula he manaʻo iki, e ulu aʻe ana ma o ka holo o ka manawa he nane ʻāpana he ʻumikūmāwalu makahiki ka lōʻihi i kākepakepa ihola ʻo Eddie no ka hoʻolaha aku ʻana i ko Sam moʻolelo. He palapala paha? He ʻaukio paha? He mele hou paha? Ma ka ʻike ʻana no ka paʻi wikiō ʻana, ʻōlelo maila ʻo ia, “Manaʻo au, hoʻokahi wale nō aʻu kiʻi e hoʻopaʻa ai. Ma o ka hana naʻe, launa akula au me ka poʻe he nui me ke aʻo pū i nā moʻolelo, no laila au i hoʻomau ai ma ka hana i nā kiʻiʻoniʻoni.”

Ma ka hana pū me kāna wahine, he kanalima makahiki ka lōʻihi o ka pilina, ʻo Myrna kona inoa, kuhikuhi a hoʻopuka pū lāua i ʻumi kiʻiʻoniʻoni piliolana hoʻohanohano me Liʻa: The Legacy of a Hawaiian Man ma ka makahiki 1986. ʻO ka hoʻomau ʻia aku o ka moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi ka pahuhopu: no ka mālama me ka hoʻokaʻa pū aku i nā moʻolelo o nā kūpuna e hala ana. Ma kēlā me kēia, hōʻike ʻia akula ko lākou leo, ʻoni kino, maka, mele, me nā haliʻa pū kekahi ma ka hoʻolele like pū i nā mele na ka Sons of Hawaiʻi, me ke kūhahaʻi aku na Kaʻupena Wong, me kahi hoʻolauna na Eddie e hāpai ana no kāna i aʻoaʻo iho ai nona iho.

He mau kumuwaiwai nā kiʻiʻoniʻoni piliolana e pili ana i ke mele Hawaiʻi, ka moʻomeheu, ka ʻōlelo, a me ka mōʻaukala e hōʻike ana i ke kuanaʻike o ko kākou mau kūpuna me ka manaʻolana pū no nā hanauna e hiki mai ana aʻo ʻana mai maiā lākou, e hoʻomanaʻo i ko lākou mōʻaukala, me ka hōʻihi pū i ka pīkoʻu kanaka, a laila mai, e hoʻopaʻa a e hāpai aʻe i ko lākou moʻolelo iho. He mea kēia mau kiʻiʻoniʻoni piliolana e hoʻōla hou ai me ka hoʻopaʻa pū i ka ʻaneʻane pau halapohe o ka ʻōlelo me ka pīkoʻu kanaka ma o ka hala o ka wā.

Lawe ʻia akula nā kiʻiʻoniʻoni piliolana i nā kula ma o Hawaiʻi na Eddie lāua me Myrna a haku pū lāua i haʻawina aʻoaʻo e pili pū ana. ʻŌlelo maila ʻo Eddie, “Hāpai au i manaʻo i nā keiki, ʻe nīnau aku i kō kupuna i ke ʻano o ko lākou ola, he aha ke ʻano o ke mele. Pehea lā ka nohona?’ Pēlā kuʻu makemake no lākou i ola ai ke mele.”

Kaipukukui pio ʻole i ke Kauaʻula

No Eddie naʻe, ʻaʻole hoʻi i ana ʻia kā lāua me Myrna hana ma nā mea i hoʻokō ʻia, akā naʻe ma nā hana ʻē aʻe i koe. He mea kā Eddie hana ma ka moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi e hoʻopili aku i nā kūpuna i hoʻokaʻa mai i nā mele, nā moʻolelo a me nā hanana kuʻuna me ia. Aʻoaʻo maila kāna mau kumu a pau me nā kūpuna i hoʻopaʻa ʻia ai ka lākou mau moʻolelo iā ia “e hana no nā keiki.” No laila, hoʻokumu akula ʻo Eddie lāua me Myrna iā The Hawaiian Legacy Foundation no ka hoʻomau aku i ka hana ʻo ka hoʻokaʻa hou aku i ka moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi i nā hanauna hou o nā ʻimi ʻike.

He māhele kēia pūʻulu mele o ka hoʻomau i ke kia aku ma ka hoʻopaʻa pono i ka hana a Eddie lāua me Myrna i ola nā mele. Eia hoʻi, nui nō ka hoʻoikaika ma ka mālama i nā lako waiwai lua ʻole ma ka waihona ʻike no ka hoʻonaʻauao.

Ma kāna ʻimi ʻana iho i kumuwaiwai hoʻomaopopo no ke mele a moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi, kohu alakaʻi mau ʻia mai ʻo Eddie. Mai ka loaʻa mai o nā mele ma ka waihona puke o ka hale hōʻikeʻike ʻo Pīhopa a i ka loaʻa pū mai o nā haku mele e ola ana ma nā kaona liʻiliʻi o Hawaiʻi, hoʻolohe pono ʻo Eddie me ka hahai pū i nā hōʻailona i hōʻike ʻia mai iā ia. Lana nō ka manaʻo no ka ulu ʻana o kou hoihoi e ka mea heluhelu, a ma ka wā i ʻōʻili mai ai kahi hōʻailona, e hahai pū nō ʻoe.