Lopes, Keawe (on hula, Hawaiian language)

Kristy Perez-Kaiwi
May 2010

Keawe Lopes is an Assistant Professor at the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, teaching papa mele and papa ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i. Outside of class, he and his wife, Tracie Lopes, are the kumu hula of their award-winning, five-year-old hālau named Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai o Ha‘eha‘e.

He is a wealth of knowledge in nā mele Hawai‘i. With still so much to share, he’s spent most of his recent years studying and learning the plethora of nā mele Hawai‘i. From a wonderful family to inspiring teachers, he humbly credits all of his mentors for their continued guidance during life’s accomplishments and endeavors.

To his students, he too is an inspiring mentor who continues to teach in the same manner in which he has learned. He teaches the importance of respecting, caring for, and appreciating the knowledge of Hawaiian mele and mo‘olelo.

KL: ‘O wau nō ‘o Keawe Lopes. He kama wau na Pi‘ikea me Lōpaka, ku‘u mau mākua. Ua hānau ‘ia wau ma O‘ahu nei, ma Honolulu nei. I ko‘u wā kamali‘i, ua lawe hānai ‘ia au e ko‘u ‘anakē a ua noho au me ia ma Nānākuli. ‘O ‘Anakē Hīnano me ‘Anakala Raymond. Ma waena o ko‘u mau mākua a me ko‘u ‘anakē, ‘o ia nō nā hale ‘elua a‘u i noho ai. I ko‘u wā kamali‘i noho ana ko‘u mau mākua ma Waipahū, no laila, ua hele nō au i ke kula ma laila, ke kula ‘o Waipahū mai ko‘u papa mālaa‘o a hiki aku i ka papa ‘umikumamālua. No laila, i ko‘u wā e noho ana me ‘anakē mā, kau wau ma ke ka‘a ‘ōhua e hele ai i mea i Waipahū, a no laila, ‘o ka mea ma‘a mau ma ka wā kula noho au ma ka hale o ko‘u mau mākua i nā lā o ke kula, a laila ma ka hopena pule, hele nō au i Nānākuli, i ka wā o ke kauwela, noho wau ma laila, ma Nānākuli no laila, ua mahalo wau i ko‘u hānai ‘ia ‘ana ma nā ‘ao‘ao ‘elua, no ko‘u launa maika‘i ‘ana me ko‘u mau hoahānau, ‘o ia paha ke kumu o ko‘u noho ‘ana i laila, aia he mau hoahānau i like ko lākou mau makahiki me a‘u. Yeah, ua hau‘oli wau i ka noho ‘ana ma Nānākuli . . .

KP: He aha nā mea i a‘o ‘ia ma Nānākuli me ‘Anakala Raymond mā?

KL: ‘O kekahi mea ‘ano . . . ma ia manawa . . . ua le‘ale‘a nō ka hana ‘ana, ‘o ia nō ka launa ‘ana o ka ‘ohana, ma Nānākuli i launa ai ka nui o ko mākou ‘ohana, ‘oiai he . . . ma nā hopena pule, hele mai nā ‘anakala lawe iā mākou kamali‘i i kahakai e lawai‘a ai, hele i ka holoholo a nui ko mākou ho‘olei ‘upena ‘ana, paipai ‘ana, ma kahi o ‘Ulehawa, ho‘omanaʻo au i ko mākou hele ‘ana i ‘Ulehawa no ka paipai ‘ana ma kekahi ‘ao‘ao o ka ‘uapo, aia he ‘uapo ma laila, he ‘uapo ‘ea?

KP: He ‘uapo . . . he ‘ano ‘uapo pōkole . . .

KL: Ē . . . ma ka ‘ao‘ao Nānākuli, hele nō mākou i ke kakahiaka nui loa, loa‘a ka manini ma laila, ‘o ia paha ko lākou wā e ‘ai ana i ka limu ma ka ‘āpapa. Ke pi‘i mai ka nalu, ‘o ia ko‘u ‘ike mua ‘ana iā lākou mai ke one mai, nānā ana wau i ko‘u ‘anakala, iā ‘Anakala Raymond, hākino ana ‘o ia i loko o ka mea, ka nalu a ua pū‘iwa wau no ka mea, eia nō mākou, mākaukau no ka lawe ‘ana i ka ‘upena, akā ‘a‘ohe ‘oni o mākou no ka mea, ‘a‘ole ‘o ia i ‘ae i ko mākou ‘oni ‘ana a laila, huli a‘ela wau a mea . . . nānā iā ia . . . hiki ke ‘ike i kona nānā ‘ana i ka nalu, kona maka‘ala i ka nalu a laila, i kekahi lā, hō‘ike mai ‘o ia iā mākou i ka wā i pi‘i ai ka nalu, hiki ke ‘ike i ka hinuhinu, ka mā‘ama‘ama o ka pewa o ka manini i ka wā o lākou e ‘ai ana ma ka ‘āpapa, pēlā ‘o ia i ‘ike ai he manini ko laila, a laila kākou . . . mea . . . e komo ai i ke kai a paipai, a ma kekahi ‘ao‘ao o kēlā ‘uapo, hele nō mākou i ka wā o ke kau ‘ana o ka lā a ho‘omoe aku i kahi ‘upena ‘ano lō‘ihi kona ‘ano, ‘a‘ole au ho‘omana‘o ka lō‘ihi o kēia ‘upena, akā he ‘upena maoli, no ka mea, nui ko‘u maka‘u i ka hele ‘ana me lākou. ‘O wau ke kanaka noho ma luna o ka taia no ka wehe ‘ana i ka ‘upena, ho‘oku‘u i ke kai, akā, hele nō mākou i kahi hohonu loa, waiho i ka ‘upena i ia pō a i ke ao ‘ana a‘e a ho‘i mākou i laila a ‘ohi i ka mea, ki‘i i ka ‘upena, ma kekahi mahele o ka ‘upena, loa‘a ka ‘ō‘io, no laila, so ‘ike wau ‘o ka manini ma kekahi ‘ao‘ao, a ‘o ka ‘ō‘io ma kekahi ‘ao‘ao a laila i kekahi manawa, hele mākou i kekahi wahi i kapa ‘ia ‘o Monument, a ma laila mākou i paipai ai no ka weke a laila i Mā‘ili no ke kala. So, ua ‘ano ‘ē no ka mea ‘a‘ole wau he kanaka ‘ai i‘a. A no laila i kēlā wā hele nō mākou, makemake wau i ka launa ‘ana o ka ‘ohana, no ka mea, alaka‘i ‘ia mākou e nā ‘anakala me ko‘u makuakāne pū a laila hele pū ka ‘ohana i kēia ‘ano hana, no laila, ma muli paha o ka launa ‘ana o ka ‘ohana, ‘o ia paha ko‘u makemake, a laila, ma hope o kēlā, ho‘i nō mākou i kauhale, wehe i ka ‘unahi, kaha i ka i‘a, wehe i ka na‘au, pālai nā ‘anakē i ka i‘a no mākou, akā inā hele wau, kuke ‘o ‘Anakē Babydoll i ka Spam no‘u, so ‘o ia kekahi mea . . .

KP: ‘O ia ke kumu āu i makemake ‘ole ai i ka i‘a?

KL: No, jus’ ‘ike ‘o ia, ‘a‘ole wau ‘ai ana i ka i‘a, akā hele ana nō mākou i ka holoholo, ‘a‘ole hiki ia‘u ke pakele no kēlā hana, ‘ea . . . so, kuke ‘o ia no‘u . . . aloha wau iā ia . . . so, ma Nānākuli, ‘o ia paha kahi wahi e launa ai ka ‘ohana a ‘o ia paha ka‘u kumu i aloha nui ai i kēlā wahi . . . no ka launa ‘ana o ka ‘ohana, ‘a‘ole ‘o ka ‘ohana, ‘o ia paha ka mea ma‘a mau no kēlā ‘ao‘ao, maopopo iā ‘oe . . . ‘o ka launa ‘ana o ka ‘ohana, i loko nō o ka launa ‘ana, aia nō ka ho‘olaule‘a ‘ana, ka nenea ‘ana i ke kolekole, ke kūkahekahe, a i kekahi manawa, hiki ke hāpai ‘ia ka mana‘o e ho‘okani pila, ho‘okani pila nā ‘anakē, nā ‘anakala, yeah jus’ nani ka noho ‘ana me kēlā . . . a ma Waipahū, noho ho‘okahi mākou, ‘ea . . . ka ‘ohana, a loa‘a nā ‘ano hoa hale no ka mea he ‘ano “townhouse” ko mākou ma Waipahū, akā ‘a‘ole i like me ka launa ‘ana o ka ‘ohana . . .

KP: ‘Ae . . . no laila, ma Nānākuli ‘oe i a‘o ai i ka ‘ōlelo?

KL: ‘O ka wā i lohe ai i ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, ‘elua o‘u mo‘olelo no kēlā . . . ho‘okahi mo‘olelo . . . umm . . . i ka wā i hala ai ka makuakāne o ko‘u māmā, male hou ko‘u kupunahine i kekahi kāne, he kāne ho‘okani pila nō ho‘i ‘o ia, ‘o kona makuahine he kahuna pule ‘o ia no Ka Makua Mau Loa, a no laila lawe ‘ia mākou . . . mo‘opuna kuakahi paha. Lawe ‘ia mākou i uka i kona hale i Waiāhole. A lawe ‘ia mākou i uka i Waiāhole i kona hale, he pā kī kona, he pā lau lā‘ī kona, ma kona hale e kanu ‘ia ai e ulu ai ka lā‘ī, lawe ‘ia mākou i laila, ho‘oma‘ama‘a i ka ho‘opa‘ana‘au i nā paukū o ka Paipala no ka hō‘ike, kēlā ‘ano mea, no laila, mana‘o wau, no kēlā lawe ‘ana, ‘o ia paha ko‘u lohe mua ‘ana i ka ‘ōlelo, mai kēlā ‘ao‘ao . . . mai nā mānaleo mai, ma kekahi ‘ao‘ao, hele nō mākou i ka hale pule, ma hope o ka hala ‘ana o ia kūkū wahine kuakahi, no ‘a‘ole . . . ma hope o ka hala ‘ana o ko‘u kupuna wahine ‘o Leialoha, ka māmā o ko‘u pāpā . . . nui ka noho ‘ana o ka ‘ohana . . . maopopo iā ‘oe, ma hope o ka . . . i ka wā o ka ho‘olewa, noho pū ka ‘ohana no ka wā lō‘ihi . . . i kēlā manawa, ‘eiwa o‘u makahiki i kēlā wā i hala ai ko‘u kupunahine ma ka ‘ao‘ao o ko‘u pāpā. No laila, noho pū ka ‘ohana, mai ia manawa mai, hele nō mākou i ka hale pule o ka ‘ohana ma Nānākuli . . .

KP: A ua kapa ‘ia ia hale pule ‘o . . .?

KL: ‘O In the House of God, ma ke alanui ‘o Haleakalā, he “quonset hut” ma laila ma mua, a ‘o ke kahuna pule ‘o ia nō ‘o Pāpā Kealoha. Lawe ‘ia mākou i ka hale pule ma laila, ‘a‘ole wau i ‘ike nui nā mānaleo o ka hale pule. A i kēia manawa, hiki ia‘u ke no‘ono‘o, ‘ano minamina ko‘u . . . well ‘eiwa o‘u makahiki i kēlā manawa, ‘a‘ole wau no‘ono‘o no kēia, akā inā ua nui wau, inā ua noho wau me lākou a pau a kama‘ilio. A nui nā kānaka i hiki ke ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, um . . . i kekahi lā ua lohe wau i ke kani ‘oko‘a, well, ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i ana lākou. ‘O kēia ‘o Pāpa Kealoha, Māmā Margaret . . .

KP: Māmā Margaret . . .?

KL: Yeah, Māmā Margaret Kaehuaea, Tenorio kona inoa hope a me Māmā Cabillas. ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i ana lākou ‘ekolu a ua loa‘a kekahi rally ma ko mākou hale pule, kēlā fellowship ‘ana, ‘a‘ole wau ‘ike i ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i no kēlā . . . akā komo mākou i ka hale pule hola ‘ehiku a pau ka hale pule i ka hola aumoe . . . hola ‘umikumamākahi hola ‘umikumamālua no ka . . .

KP: No ka lā holo‘oko‘a . . . ‘ea . . .?

KL: Ē . . . ma hope o ka hale pule, noho mākou ‘ai pū, he aumoe kēlā, akā, hiki ke lohe i ke kani o ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i ana lākou kekahi i kekahi . . . um . . . ‘o kekahi mea pōmaika‘i, i ko‘u wā i hele mua ai i ke kula ma Waipahū, komo wau i ka papa ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i i laila, i kēlā wā, mau nō ke ola ‘ana o Māmā Margaret, no laila ma ka hale pule, kama‘ilio nui wau iā ia ma laila. Ma ka ‘ohana, ua ‘ike mākou ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i ko‘u kupuna wahine, akā ua hala ‘o ia i ka wā i piha ai nā makahiki he ‘eiwa ia‘u. A ua ‘ike mākou, ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i ‘o ‘Anakala Raymond. Akā, i ko‘u wā kamali‘i, ‘a‘ole nō nui ‘o ia ma ka hale, hana nui ‘o ia . . . no laila, hele ‘o ia, kau ka moku, he kapena no Young Brothers . . . a hele aku ‘o ia, ‘a‘ole ‘o ia e ho‘i mai a ‘elua, ‘ekolu lā, no laila, noho ‘o ia ma ka hale i ia pō, a ma ke kakahiaka, hele hou ‘o ia . . . he kanaka hana nui nō, but, ua lohe nō mākou, ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i ‘o ia, a ua hiki iā ia ke ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, no laila, i kekahi lā ua ho‘ā‘o au e ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i iā ia. ‘O ia ko‘u hoa kama‘ilio ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i ma ka lāpule . . . no laila, ke hele wau i ka hale pule . . . noho ‘o ia ma kekahi ‘ao‘ao, noho wau ma kekahi ‘ao‘ao, a kama‘ilio māua me kēlā a i kekahi manawa, nui kona ‘ike no kona one hānau ‘o Pu‘uanahulu, he mau paniolo lākou . . . ua akamai, akamai maoli nō ‘o ia. He lua ‘ole ke akamai.

KP: So ma ke kula i a‘o ai i ka ‘ōlelo a me ka ‘ohana kekahi . . . pehea i kupu ai ka hoi no kou lilo ‘ana i kumu ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i a me ka hoihoi i loko ou no ka ‘imi noi‘i ‘ana i nā mele Hawai‘i a me ka mālama ‘ana i kēlā mau mele a nā kūpuna i haku ai?

KL: ‘A‘ole wau ‘ike i ko‘u kumu i lilo ai i kumu. Ma mua, ua mana‘o wau e lilo ana wau i linguist . . . makemake wau e lilo i mea unuhi ma ka United Nations . . . you know, ‘o wau ka mea ma waena o nā . . .

KP: Ka Liaison . . .

KL: Yeah, ka liaison . . . na‘u e unuhi no kekahi ‘ao‘ao no laila, ‘o ko‘u komo mua ‘ana i ke kula, ua komo wau i ka papa ‘ōlelo Lusia a me ka papa ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i. Ma hope mai, ua ho‘oku‘u wau i kēlā ‘ao‘ao a me kēlā makemake. A lilo wau i mekia ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i.

I ko‘u wā mea e hele ana i ke kula ma Waipahū, ua launa me ka‘u kumu ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, ‘o Kahea kona inoa, Kahealani Sanborn, ‘o ia ka mea nāna i ‘ano paipai iā mākou haumāna e ‘imi i ko kākou alahele, ko mākou alahele pono‘ī a mai poina, ke ‘imi aku i kēlā alahele pono‘ī, mai poina i ko kākou wahi kūpuna a me ko kākou wahi lāhui. No laila, ma ke kula, ua ‘ike wau ‘o ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, he mea puni ia no‘u. A no laila, i ko‘u komo ‘ana i ke kula nui, ua lilo wau i mekia ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i a ma hope mai, ua makemake au e komo i ka polokalamu laeo‘o ma ka ‘ao‘ao o ka na‘auao, ‘o ia ke alahele pōkole, he alahele pōkole ia akā, he alahele maika‘i no ka mea, ma laila e a‘o ai i ke ‘ano o ke a‘o ‘ana, no laila, ua komo wau i ka MET, a launa wau me Kumu Hau‘oli, ma laila i ulu ai paha ko‘u hoihoi no ke a‘o ‘ana. No ka mea, he kumu nani palena ‘ole, yeah, ho‘omanawanui, ‘a‘ole like ko‘u ‘ano me ia . . . he kumu ho‘omanawanui. I ka hopena o kēlā polokalamu, pono ‘oe e hana i ka . . . um . . . koho lākou i kekahi kula a a‘o ‘oe ma laila, no kēlā kau . . .

KP: He ‘ano field work?

KL: Yeah, field work paha . . . no laila, ma hope o ko‘u noho ‘ana ma ke kula ki‘eki‘e ‘o Kailua, noho wau i laila no ho‘okahi makahiki me ka hapa, a ‘o ka lō‘ihi o kēia polokalamu he ‘elua makahiki, no laila, i kekahi kau, ‘o ia nō kēlā kau field work, koho ‘ia ke kula ki‘eki‘e ‘o Kalani, i ko‘u wā i hele ai i laila, ua mālama ‘ia ka nīnauele, na ‘Anakala Kimo e mālama i ka nīnauele, so ‘o ia ko‘u wā i launa ai me ia. Ma mua, a‘o ka‘u wahine i laila, ma Kalani, ‘o ia ko‘u kumu i makemake ai e hele i laila, ko‘u girlfriend i kēlā manawa, ka‘u ipo. No laila, e ha‘alele ana ‘o ‘Anakala Kimo iā Kalani no HCC, a ‘o wau ka mea pani i . . . pani hakahaka i kāna papa. No laila, a‘o wau i kāna papa ma laila. I ia wā, nui ka launa ‘ana o māua ‘o ka‘u wahine me kēia kumu, he kumu, a ua ‘ike mākou, well ua ‘ike māua ‘o ka‘u wahine, he kumu hula nō ho‘i ‘o ia, ‘o ‘Anakala Kimo, ua ‘ike māua, he ‘ike kona ma ka ‘ao‘ao hula ma ka ‘ao‘ao mele, akā, ‘a‘ole ‘o ia i ho‘olaha wale aku i kona inoa pono‘ī . . . he aha lā . . . a ma hope mai o ko‘u launa ‘ana me ia . . . auē, ua lilo loa wau iā ia . . . yeah . . . lilo loa . . . he kāne akeakamai ma nā ‘ano like ‘ole a pau . . .

KP: E like me ‘oe . . .

KL: No . . . ‘a‘ole . . . ‘a‘ole paha . . . ‘a‘ole i hapa mai . . .

KP: No ka mea he ‘ōpio ‘oe, akā, kama‘āina ‘oe i nā mele Hawai‘i he nui . . .

KL: Ma muli o ko‘u launa ‘ana me ia . . . nāna nō i ‘ano kanu i kēlā hoi i loko o‘u a aia nō ke ulu nei. Ma nā alahele a pau a‘u i hele ai, nāna nō i ‘ano kōkua mai i ka maka‘ala ‘ana i ko‘u mau wahi e hele ai. No nā mele, ‘a‘ole hiki ke hana i nā mea like ‘ole. I loko nō o ke mele, aia nō ka ‘ike o ka po‘e kūpuna, a aia nō ke waiho ala ma ia mea he mele. ‘O ka mo‘olelo, he mea ia e waiho ai i kēlā ‘ike, ‘o ka mo‘olelo he waihona ‘ē a‘e ia. A inā makemake kākou, ka Hawai‘i, e a‘o hou a i ‘ole e launa paha me ka ‘ike o ko kākou kūpuna, aia nō ke waiho ala i loko o ke mele a me ia mea he mo‘olelo. Nui nā kānaka nānā ma ka mo‘olelo, ‘a‘ole lākou nānā ma ke mele. Aia nō he mau kānaka nānā ma ke mele, but then, ‘a‘ole nānā ma ka mo‘olelo. E nānā ‘ia ana nā mea ‘elua. Ma laila nō e ‘ike ai i ka waihona o ka ‘ike. Me he mea lā, ‘o ka ‘ike i ho‘opuka ma ka mo‘olelo, he ‘ike ia no ke kānaka. ‘O ka ‘ike i waiho ‘ia ma ke mele, me he mea lā, he ‘ike ia no ke kānaka pa‘a . . . ‘ano ‘oko‘a kona ‘ike, ‘ea . . . no ka mea, i loko nō o ka haku ‘ana i ke mele, aia nō he mau kaona, ‘ea . . . pono ‘oe e ‘ano wehe i ia mau papa a loa‘a mai ka hua o ke mele, ‘ea . . . ma ka mo‘olelo, ma kekahi ‘ano, ‘ano laha, ‘ano ‘ike ‘ia ka mana‘o, ‘a‘ohe mea hūnā i loko . . . ma kekahi mo‘olelo loa‘a, ma ke mele, ma ka nane, ma ka ‘ōlelo no‘eau, aia nō he ‘ike i loko . . .

KP: ‘Ae, ‘a‘ole nō i ‘ike pinepine ‘ia. ‘A‘ole hiki ke ‘ike wale akula . . .

KL: ‘Ae. ‘A‘ole ia he mea ahuwale. So, ‘ano maika‘i ka nānā ‘ana i nā mea ‘elua. Hiki ke ‘ano . . . he kuleana ma kekahi ‘ano.

KP: So ma kēlā wahi kuleana āu e hāpai nei, ma laila nō ‘oe e hō‘ike aku ai i kāu po‘e haumāna i ka waiwai o nā mele. Ma laila nō?

KL: Ē . . . ma ka‘u mau papa, ua haku wau i mau ha‘awina e a‘o ai i nā haumāna, ‘o ia ha‘awina, ‘o ia nō ka mālama ‘ana, ka hō‘ihi ‘ana, a me ka mahalo. Inā pēlā ke ‘ano o ka na‘au o kēia po‘e haumāna ma hope mai o ke komo ‘ana i loko nō o ka‘u papa ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, ka‘u papa mele, ‘a‘ohe o‘u hopohopo iki o ia haumāna, ke ha‘alele ‘o ia mai ko‘u papa mai. No ka mea, ‘o ka hō‘ihi me ka mahalo me ka mālama, ‘o ia ka mea nui no kākou, yeah . . . ke aloha ‘ana, ‘ea. Ma laila e ‘ike ai ka ha‘aha‘a o ka haumāna. A i loko nō o ka papa mālama kākou i . . . ‘oiai kākou e a‘o ana i ke mele, mālama kākou i ka mana‘o o ka haku mele; kona ‘ano kaila i hīmeni ai, kona ‘ano kaila i haku ai, mālama kākou i kona mana‘o, kona makemake, ‘ea. Aia nō kēia ‘ano po‘e kānaka haku mele, aia nō ke ola nei kekahi, a no laila ma kekahi papahana o Ke Welo Mau Nei, kono mākou, yeah . . . kono ka papa i nā haku mele o kēia au, ‘ea. Kipa mai ka papa a he ha‘awina nui ma laila ‘o ia nō ka mālama ‘ana iā lākou, ka hō‘ihi ‘ana iā lākou, ka mālama ‘ana iā lākou, ʻea . . . i ‘ole kākou e mālama wale nō i nā mea o kahiko me ka ‘ole o ka mālama ‘ana o nā kānaka loea e mea . . . ola nei. ‘Ea . . . mālama i nā mea ‘elua. No laila, ‘ano maika‘i no ka mea, no ko kākou mālama ‘ana i nā mea o kahiko nā mele i haku ‘ia e nā mānaleo i hala, a me nā mo‘olelo o kahiko, nā mo‘olelo i haku ‘ia mai kēlā kenekulia aku nei, he mea maika‘i ka mālama ‘ana iā lākou. A mālama i nā kānaka e mālama nei i kēlā ‘ike. No ka mea, pono e ho‘omau ‘ia.

KP: Uh hmm . . . because i ko‘u wā i noho ai ma ka papa mele, ma mua o kēlā, ‘a‘ole nō au i ‘ike i ke ‘ano o nā mele i mele ‘ia e nā kūpuna, e like ho‘i me Abigail Pilila‘au mā, ‘a‘ole au i lohe iki i kahi mea pili i kona wā i haku ai i kēlā mele. So kahi mele, e like ho‘i me “Aloha ‘Ia ‘O Wai‘anae,” ‘a‘ole au i no‘ono‘o ma mua e ‘imi i kēlā mele me ka leo pili me kona intentions . . . he aha lā . . . ‘a‘ole au i no‘ono‘o . . .

KL: Me he mea lā, i kēia wā, ke kupu mai nei nā ‘ano o ka haumāna, he ‘ano hoihoi paha e ‘ike i ke kumu i haku ‘ia ai, ‘o ia ka mea nāna i haku. A ma mua paha, hīmeni kākou i mea e hīmeni wale ai, i mea e ho‘olaule‘a ai paha, ‘ea . . . ‘a‘ole kākou i no‘ono‘o nui, no ka mea nāna i haku me ke kumu i haku ‘ia ai i ia mele . . . ma kekahi ‘ano, ‘a‘ole pilikia no ka mea, ‘a‘ole ia he . . . no‘u iho, pono nā ‘ano kānaka like ‘ole, pono ke anaina, pono ka mea, pono ka pu‘ukani, ‘ea . . . i kekahi manawa, no nā haku mele, ‘a‘ole hiki iā lākou ke hīmeni, no laila haku wale nō lākou i ke mele, hā‘awi i ka pu‘ukani me kēlā kalena nāna i mea . . . so pono ia po‘e kānaka a pau, ‘a‘ole paha lilo ana kākou a pau i haku mele . . .

KP: Pehea i ho‘omaka ai ke a‘o ‘ana i ka hula?

KL: I ia wā i launa ai māua ‘o ka‘u wahine me ‘Anakala Kimo . . . ‘ano pili mākou a hele nō māua ‘o ka‘u wahine i kāna [‘Anakala Kimo] papa hula, mālama ‘ia ma nā ahiahi Pō‘akolu ma Kalani High School ma ka lumi papa band, ka bana o ka Kalani. So, hui mākou ma laila no ka papa hula ma nā Pō‘akolu. Oh, nahenahe nā mele. ‘O nā mele ‘auana wale nō āna e a‘o ana i ia wā. Ua ho‘omaka ‘o ia i ka hula ‘ōlapa me ka hula ‘āla‘apapa i ka makahiki 1997 paha. ‘O ia ko‘u wā e a‘o ana ma Kalani. Ua kono ‘ia māua a no laila, komo māua i kāna papa no ‘elua makahiki me ka hapa a a‘o ‘ia nā hula ‘ōlapa a me ka hula ‘āla‘apapa wale nō ma kahi o . . . ‘ane‘ane 30 paha mele i ia papa. A ‘o ke kumu i hana ‘ia ai kēlā papa, ‘o ia nō ka ho‘oikaika hou ‘ana i ka ‘ōlapa. Ma hope mai o ko māua ‘ūniki ‘ana, makahiki 2000 paha kēlā hana ‘o ia i ka papa no ka hula pahu a no ‘elua hou aku makahiki māua i noho ai me ia. A laila, ‘ūniki hou ma ka makahiki 2002 no nā hula ‘ōlapa. ‘O kona ‘ano ‘ūniki ua ‘oko‘a mai nā ‘ūniki o . . . ‘o ka mea ma‘a mau i ‘ike ‘ia i kēia mau lā ‘o ia nō ka ‘ūniki o Maiki mā. ‘O kona ‘ano ‘ūniki, he ‘ūniki ia no ka ho‘oku‘u ‘ana i ka haumāna . . . mea . . . mālama ‘ia ka hu‘e lepo, ka ‘ai lolo me kēlā. Akā, ‘o kā mākou ‘ai lolo he pu‘a kai ke ‘ano, ‘a‘ole he pu‘a honua. Ma hope o ke a‘o ‘ana i kēlā ‘ike, ua ‘ōlelo ‘o ‘Anakala Kimo, “Aia a pa‘a kēia ‘ike a laila hiki ke a‘o aku.” ‘A‘ole wau i mana‘o e lilo ana wau i kumu hula. Ua ‘ike wau e lilo ana ka‘u wahine i kumu hula. ‘O ka‘u puni ka hīmeni ‘ana, ka ho‘okani pila ‘ana. No laila ma kekahi ‘ano, kāko‘o wau i kona pahuhopu ma ka ‘ao‘ao hula a kāko‘o ‘o ia i ko‘u pahuhopu ma ka ‘ao‘ao ho‘okani pila. He ‘ano male maika‘i kēlā no ka mea nāna e alaka‘i i ka ‘ao‘ao hula a na‘u e kāko‘o. Na‘u e alaka‘i i ka ‘ao‘ao ho‘okani pila, ho‘opa‘a paha, nāna e kāko‘o. Ma ia manawa mai, ma hope o ka ‘ūniki, ho‘oku‘u ‘ia māua akā ‘a‘ole mākou i ha‘alele. No laila mau nō ka hele ‘ana o māua i kāna papa ‘ōlapa. Aia nō ma nā Lāpule. No laila, ‘o kēia ka . . . ‘umikūmākolu makahiki kēia o ko mākou a‘o ‘ana maiā ia mai.

KP: ‘A‘ole pau ke a‘o ‘ana mai i . . .

KL: I kekahi kanaka [‘aka‘aka], no ke ola holo‘oko‘a. I ka makahiki 2005, me ka ‘ae o nā kumu hula, ka ‘ae o ‘Anakala Kimo, ka ‘ae o O’Brian Eselu a hala ‘o Thaddeus ma mua mai o kēlā. Ua mana‘o ‘ia e ho‘omaka (i ka hālau hula). ‘Ike wau i ka waiwai . . . i kēia manawa, ‘ike maka wau i ka waiwai o ke kali ‘ana, ka ho‘omanawanui ‘ana a loa‘a mai kēlā ‘ike iā ‘oe akā . . . ka “investment” i loko nō o ka hana a laila, hiki ke wehe mai i kāu papa hula, ‘ea. No laila, no ‘elima paha makahiki, ‘o kēia ka lima o nā makahiki. Nui ka pōmaika‘i ma laila. He alahele ‘ē a‘e e a‘o ai i ka hula. I kēia manawa, hiki ke ‘ike i ko māua a‘o ‘ana i ke ‘ano o ke ola ma ka papa hula. ‘A‘ole ‘o ka hula wale nō ka mea i a‘o ‘ia ma ka papa hula, ke ‘ano o ka na‘au e pono ai ke kānaka no ka holomua ‘ana ma nā ‘ano alahele like ‘ole e holomua ai ‘o ia. Ma ka ‘ohana, ko lākou kula, ke kūlia ‘ana, ‘ea . . . ‘o ia nō ka pahuhopu nui o ka hālau, ke kūlia ‘ana. I kēia manawa, no nā makahiki mua, nui nā mea e ‘ano ho‘oponopono ai ‘oiai he mau kumu ‘ōpiopio wale nō māua. Hiki ke ‘ike i ka ulu ‘ana o māua i loko nō o ka ho‘omanawanui ‘ana ma nā ‘ano like ‘ole a pau. Hiki ke ‘ike i ke a‘o ‘ana i nā ha‘awina o ka hale pule kekahi, ‘oiai mālama ‘ia ka pule ‘ana ma ka hālau a ma ko kākou huaka‘i ‘ana, yeah . . . mālama ‘ia ka mahele o ke a‘o ‘ana i ka ‘ōlelo a ka Haku me ka mālama ‘ana i ko kākou ‘ao‘ao ‘uhane . . . ua ‘ike maka ‘oe, he haumāna ‘oe na māua kekahi. Ma laila wau e mahalo ai . . . mahalo nui ai i kēia hana no kēia kuleana.

KP: Well because . . . mahalo wau iā ‘olua no nā mea a pau a ‘olua i a‘o ai iā mākou. But, ‘o kahi mea i mahalo nui ‘ia ‘o ia ka pale ‘ana, ka pale ‘ana i nā mea i pili i ka “spiritual” ho‘i. But, ‘o kahi mea ‘ē a‘e, ‘o ia ke a‘o ‘ana i nā mo‘olelo kahiko, nā mo‘olelo pili i nā mele e a‘o ‘ia ana a i ‘ole nā mele i a‘o ‘ia a me ka “lineage” ho‘i, kou hō‘ike ‘ana i nā hanauna ma mua o kēia hanauna e mālama ana i kēlā kuleana, kēlā mele, kēlā mo‘olelo ho‘i a me ka “importance” o kā mākou hana i kēia wā; ka hō‘ihi, ka mālama ‘ana, ke aloha ‘ana.

KL: Yeah . . . ‘o ka mea nui me kēlā, ‘o ko‘u hāpai ‘ana i nā inoa o nā kānaka nāna i mālama i kēia hula, ‘ea . . . ‘o ia nō ka . . . pehea e ‘ōlelo ai . . . um . . . ‘a‘ole kākou ‘ike ua haku wale ‘ia ka hula i loko nō o kēia wā no kākou wale iho nō, ʻea . . . ua ili mai kēia ‘ike mai kekahi kupuna a kekahi kupuna a no ka mālama maika‘i ‘ana i kēia ‘ike, ka mālama maika‘i ‘ia ‘ana o kēia ‘ike, ua hiki mai iā kākou nei i kēia hanauna . . . yeah, he mau hanauna mai, he ‘ehā, ‘elima hanauna ma kekahi ‘ano ma ka ho‘oilina o ka papa hula. He mea maika‘i kēlā. A inā hiki ke ho‘omau aku a he mau hanauna hou aku a maika‘i hou a‘e kēlā. No laila, ma ka ‘ao‘ao o ka hula, ua a‘o mai ‘o ‘Anakala Kimo i ke kumu e hō‘ihi ai, i ke kumu e mālama ‘ia ai kēia ‘ike no ka mea, ‘a‘ole nō kākou wale nō kēia ‘ike, he ‘ike e hāpai ‘ia ana e nā po‘ohiwi o kēia manawa a hāpai kekahi hanauna a‘e, ʻea. Makemake au e ‘ike ko‘u mau pulapula, he mo‘opuna kualua i kēia hula inā ua hiki ia‘u ke ‘ike, makemake au e ‘ike i kēia mau mo‘opuna kualua e hula ana i kēlā mea like a he mea nani kēlā.