A recent jaunt through my Facebook account, and I came across a survey posted by one of our good friends, Kenneth Makuakane. At the heart of the survey was the question, “What is Hawaiian Music?”
For centuries, music in Hawai’i has evolved into what we know today. Starting as chants, ancient Hawaiians paired Hawaiian music with hula to share the stories of their ancestors. Then, as immigrants shared their unique music styles, Hawaiians began to integrate other instruments and musical styles into their music while still keeping with the core value of “story-telling.”
So what is Hawaiian music to me? Hawaiian music is about sharing stories of life in Hawai’i. Whether they are traditional songs talking about the gods or modern songs talking about love, Hawaiian music centers around life in the Hawaiian islands. And no matter what form that takes (i.e. Traditional, Jawaiian, Rock, Acoustic, etc.), it still is Hawaiian music.
What is your definition of Hawaiian music? Take Kenneth Makuakane’s survey or let me know in the comments below!
