31-01-2025
Aloha Authentic Episode 504
In this episode of Aloha Authentic, host Kamaka Pili partners with the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society to take viewers on a nostalgic journey into the heart of Waikīkī. Before it transformed into the bustling concrete jungle we know today, Waikīkī was a community steeped in culture, music, and connection to the land and sea. This episode captures the essence of that era through mele and moʻolelo.
Renowned musician and cultural advocate, Aunty Kuʻuipo Kumukahi of the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society, performs three iconic Hawaiian songs: Waikīkī Hula, Makee ʻAilana, and ʻĀinahau. These mele, rich with poetic imagery and historical significance, paint vivid pictures of Waikīkī's past. After each mele, Aunty Kuʻuipo shares the meanings and cultural importance of these songs, giving viewers a greater understanding of their connection to place and history.
In addition to the mele, the episode features heartfelt stories from kupuna who grew up in Waikīkī during a simpler time. Jesse Kalima Jr. recounts memories of his father, Jesse Kalima Sr., a prominent musician who owned an ʻukulele store in Waikīkī on the corner of Kapahulu Avenue and Kalākaua Avenue. Georgiana Navarro reminisces about fishing in the Ala Wai Canal back when its waters were clean and teeming with life, and picking līmu from the shores of Waikīkī Beach. Marsha Kapū, sister of Jesse Kalima Jr., shares a unique story about the Waikīkī Beach Boys, who would roll their family piano down to the banyan tree in Waikīkī, creating impromptu moments of music and joy.
This episode of Aloha Authentic beautifully bridges past and present, honoring the legacy of Waikīkī through the voices of those who lived it.
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