Music, an intrinsic part of our daily lives, often plays in the background as we commute, work out, or go about our daily errands. Yet, beneath its unassuming presence, music is a unique form of expression that weaves together history, tradition, and culture. In the enchanting realm of Hawaiian culture, music resonates as the very essence of its identity, a tapestry of melodies that has evolved through centuries, painting a vivid soundscape that persists to this day. While European settlers may have arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in the 1700s, Hawaiians had already discovered the gift of song long before foreign feet touched their shores.
A fascinating facet of the Hawaiian language is the absence of a specific word for “music.” However, the essence of music has always been deeply ingrained in Hawaiian tradition. “Mele,” or chanting, held a sacred place in ancient Hawaiian society, serving as a ritualistic means of preserving ancestral history. These chants were the repositories of family lineage, the vessels of legends recounting tales of Hawaiian gods, and the narrative core of hula dances. Guided by the rhythm of drums and accompanied by a modest orchestra of stones, sticks, and rattles, these ancient chants laid the foundation for early Hawaiian music.
The encounter with European settlers in the 1700s exposed Hawaiians to a world of diverse cultures. Missionaries brought with them Christian hymns and introduced various European instruments such as the flute, violin, and piano to the Hawaiian Islands. Yet, it was the guitar, brought by Spanish cowboys known as paniolos, that captivated the Hawaiians. Spanish music, referred to as “Cachi-cachi” due to its fast and improvisational style, quickly gained popularity. When the Spanish cowboys eventually returned to their homelands, they left their guitars behind as gifts.
Eager to develop their distinctive playing style, Hawaiians slackened the guitar strings, creating a unique finger-picking technique that harmonized with their rhythmic sensibilities. This “slack-key” guitar style became a local sensation, inspiring further innovations like the “steel-guitar” technique, which involved sliding a piece of steel along the strings. This technique produced a soothing, dream-like quality that would come to define the sound of Hawaiian music.
These groundbreaking innovations sparked a broader interest in musical instruments among the locals. Melodies remained rooted in vocals, with an emphasis on language and culture, while instrumental sounds, as dictated by ancient rituals, provided harmony and support. The discovery of innate musical talents among Hawaiians led to the formation of orchestras. In 1915, the Royal Hawaiian Band received an invitation to compete at the Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, marking the first time the world would hear the culture and language of Hawaii expressed through song. This musical performance painted a vivid portrait of the islands, leaving an indelible impression of their melodious and polished culture.
The Royal Hawaiian Band placed Hawaiian culture firmly on the global stage, while the Tau Moe family, famously known as “The Aloha Four,” popularized the steel guitar, becoming Hawaii’s own supergroup. They embarked on tours across the mainland and around the world, introducing Hawaii’s innovative melodies and rhythmic harmonies to a global audience.
The advent of recording technology allowed people to bring the essence of Hawaii home with them. In the 1920s, radio programs like “Hawaii Calls” and live broadcasts of Hawaiian music transported listeners to the enchanting landscapes of the islands. Almost every hotel, the only venues spacious enough to accommodate bands and orchestras, had radio equipment set up. Bands that entertained guests found themselves suddenly broadcasting to the world. By the 1950s, “Hawaii Calls” was being broadcast to 750 stations worldwide.
However, the 1960s marked a decline in the popularity of Hawaiian music. Although local musicians like Don Ho and Joe Keawe continued to thrive, mainland artists had flooded the scene, drawn solely by its popularity. Hawaiian music teetered on the brink of becoming a passing fad, were it not for the emergence of a new generation of musicians.
Gabby Pahinui, a prodigy of slack-key guitar and falsetto, redirected the focus to culture. As Hawaiian music regained its popularity, it shifted from being merely about style to embodying long-held cultural themes of sovereignty and national pride, igniting a cultural renaissance.
Hula, too, experienced a revival. The Merrie Monarch Festival, once a tourist-oriented pageant, transformed into a celebration of culture. Hula groups, or halaus, were now required to create original chants for their routines, a license to create rather than replicate. This introduced a new tradition to the festival, one that honored its storied past. The Merrie Monarch Festival paved the way for artists like Keali’i Reichel and The Brothers Cazimero to rise to prominence.
This renaissance heralded an era of Hawaiian superstars. Sonny Chillingworth and Willie K gained reverence for their slack-key prowess, while Linda Dela Cruz and Amy Hanaiali’i Gillom captivated audiences with their falsetto mastery. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, affectionately known as Braddah Iz, stands as the most celebrated Hawaiian musician of all time. His medleys of “Starting All Over Again” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” continue to resonate today, while “Hawaiian Supa’ Man” represents the mythical embodiment of his talent and style.
Reggae, a genre that arrived in Hawaii only in the 1980s, was initially met with resistance from traditionalists. However, its rhythmic allure seamlessly blended with Hawaii’s musical sensibilities, leading to its adoption with open arms. Today, reggae and Jamaican culture are inseparable from Hawaii’s cultural landscape. The Rastafarian flag proudly stands alongside Hawaii’s state emblem as a symbol of national pride. Reggae and Hawaii have become intertwined on the airwaves, giving birth to “Jawaiian” as a popular and meaningful subgenre within the canon.
What elevates Hawaiian music to a pivotal role is its deep connection to culture. It beckons people to pause and listen, captivating their hearts and minds. Hawaiian themes, traditions, and the stories they tell define Hawaiian music as a genre. As long as artists continue to draw inspiration from the language and culture, Hawaiian music will remain an essential and enduring treasure shared with the world.