Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 4, 1 April 2006 — ʻSangbird of Hawaiʻiʻ rejurenates the legacy of Lena Machada [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ʻSangbird of Hawaiʻiʻ rejurenates the legacy of Lena Machada

By Manu Buyd Public lnfnrmatinn Directnr egendary Hawaiian composer and performer Lena Kaulumau Wai'ale'ale Machado is remembered today as a 20th-century musical marvel. Like many other artists whose work we sometimes take for granted, Lena Machado has perhaps been an "unsung" hero since her music-filled life ended decades ago. Although such familiar tunes as Pōhai Ke Aloha, Mai Lohilohi Mai 'Oe and Ho'onanea are performed and recorded today, the comprehensive body of work by Lena Machado has not been available to the public - until now. Thanks to the tenacity, eommitment and aloha of Machado's

"hānai" Pi'olani Motta, the yellowing pages of tattered songbooks and a lifetime of memories and experiences have been harnessed with the help of writer/historian Klhei de Silva and an impressive team of talented believers. Songbird of Hawai'i - My Memories of Aunty Lena, published by the Kamehameha Schools Press, sheds kilowatts of light on one of Hawai'i's most prolific, yet somewhat obscure, songwriters through the detailed accounts of "Aunty Pi'o" Motta. According to Motta, several publishers turned down the project, saying it would likely not sell. But with the foresight of Kamehameha cultural advisor Randie Kamuela Fong, the project made its way through the complex maze of publication production. At a dedication ceremony last month at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Memorial Chapel in the uplands of Kapālama, Songbird ofHawai'i took flight. Co-author de Silva, himself an expert in haku mele (Hawaiian poetic composition), gaveremarks at the event that centered on the

well-known \ mele Pua \ M āma n e , the popular hula song by Machado that appears to be simply a "mele pana"

highlighting Kaua'i districts. "The song was actually eomposed for Aunty Lena's brother, William Wai'ale'ale, who she met for the first time in her teens, as she was hānai to another family at a young age," de Silva explained. "The 'piko Wai'ale'ale' - the eenter of Mt. Wai'ale'ale - is him." About the next paukū (verse), whieh mentions the seaweed of Polihale, he said, "Mrs. Pūku'i tells us of the llpahapaha or 'pahapaha' limu. It has a speeial quality, in that long after it dries up, it ean be rejuvenated by inunersing it into seawater. Here, we have something very different than we previously thought. This is not just a love song about Kaua'i and the māmane blossom, it's a reconnection to family. This entire book is like a 'lei pahap-

aha' for us to wear again and again. It is rejuvenating." Three days after the book's ceremonial debut, "The Music of Lena Machado" served as the theme for the Kamehameha Schools' Song Contest. Classes performed Lena Machado mele - all of whieh are featured in the publication - with a rare freshman class victory for their performance of Ku'u Wā Li'ili'i, Another treat at the event was the hula of three of Machado's "Ladies Kaulumau" dancers, including Aunty Pi'o, April Villa and Joan Lindsey, to the live performance of another Hawaiian legend, Aunty Genoa Keawe. Thirty songs are featured in

the 213-page book, complete with photos, detailed stories and defining musical scores. Stacy Leong Mills designed the book, treating eaeh of the songs as individual chapters. The project is artfully presented, appropriately reflecting the attention to detail, excellence and visual appeal characterized by Machado herself. Songbird of Hawai'i - My Memories of Aunty Lena is a project of the Kamehameha Schools' Ka'iwakīloumoku Hawaiian Cultural Center. The publication is dedicated "to Lena Kaulumau Wai'ale'ale Machado and the people of Hawai'i whom she loved dearly." S

NĀ PUKE • B00KS

Pi'olani Motta and Kihei de Silva

1CQ o o

The new book sheds light on one of Hawai'i's most prolific songwrifers.