Carpe Diem #1505 Haku Mele, the music of Hawaii

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at the first episode of the last week of August, the month in which we were on a journey around the world on a quest for folk music. We have visited all regions of the world, but today we will visit Hawaii, a wonderful state of the US, and a wonderful island I think. I have never been there, but I have seen wonderful images of this unique island.

Hawaii

Hawaiian folk music includes several varieties of chanting (mele) and music meant for highly ritualized dance (hula). Traditional Hawaiian music and dance was functional, used to express praise, communicate genealogy and mythology, and accompany games, festivals and other secular events. The Hawaiian language has no word that translates precisely as music, but a diverse vocabulary exists to describe rhythms, instruments, styles and elements of voice production. Hawaiian folk music is simple in melody and rhythm, but is "complex and rich" in the "poetry, accompanying mimetic dance (hula), and subtleties of vocal styles... even in the attenuated forms in which they survive today".

The chant (mele) is typically accompanied by an ipu heke (a double gourd) and/or pahu (sharkskin covered drum). Some dances require dancers to utilize hula implements such as an ipu (single gourd), ʻiliʻili (waterworn lava stone castanets),ʻuliʻuli (feathered gourd rattles), pu`ʻli (split bamboo sticks) or kalaʻau (rhythm sticks). The older, formal kind of hula is called kahiko, while the modern version is ʻauana. There are also religious chants called ʻoli; when accompanied by dancing and drums, it is called mele hula pahu.

In the pre-contact Hawaiian language, the word mele referred to any kind of poetic expression, though it now translates as song. The two kinds of Hawaiian chanting were mele oli and mele hula. The first were a cappella individual songs, while the latter were accompanied dance music performed by a group. The chanters were known as haku mele and were highly trained composers and performers. Some kinds of chants express emotions like angst and affection, or request a favor from another person. Other chants are for specific purposes like naming, (mele inoa), prayer (mele pule), surfing (mele he'e nalu) and genealogical recitations (mele koihonua). Mele chants were governed by strict rules, and were performed in a number of styles include the rapid kepakepa and the enunciate koihonua. (Source: wikipedia)

Wow ...! What a wonderful music this is. I could easily imagine Hawaii and being there. Really I enjoyed this music.

waves
while volcanoes erupt
mele pule

© Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I am a little bit late with this episode, but ... I think you don't have a problem with that.

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until September 2nd at noon (CEST). I will try to publish our new episode later on.