This year marks the monumental 100-year anniversary of the Kamehameha Schools Song Contest, a staple event here in Hawai‘i that culminates months of preparation and rehearsal by students on O‘ahu, Maui and Hawai‘i islands. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 crisis, this year’s contest was suspended. Instead, on March 20th, a special three-part program that recognized and celebrated a century of the Song Contest aired on Hawai‘i News Now and online performances, albeit in a different format, are available on the School’s website.
The Contest represents the evolution of Hawaiian language and culture over the past century. As beautifully stated on Kamehameha Schools’ webpage, the Song Contest “has brought us – the lāhui – to renewed understandings of our cultural identity – an identity no longer fading, but eager to thrive in contemporary contexts. One hundred years’ worth of students have sung the songs of their kūpuna, preserving invaluable data that has revitalized our people to our current standing. Those mele are the pages of our history, kept alive at the tip of the tongue.”
Throughout the years, the song contest pays tribute to the ancestors who came before us and keeps their memory, stories, and mele alive. The goal is to “tell our stories of today, for tomorrow”, illustrating how the past, present and future intertwine. Through this 100-year old tradition, Kamehameha Schools provides an opportunity to remember, to connect with one another, and to leave a legacy for generations to come.
Kekoa Kaluhiwa, Senior Director for the Statewide Operations Division of its Community Engagement and Resources Group at Kamehameha Schools, is a proud KS graduate of the Class of ’94, Kekoa was a co-ed team song director from 1991-1993 and the “I Mua Kamehameha” director in 1994. He also serves on Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Hawaiian music has played a big part in his life and he was happy to share some of his experiences with us.
“Hawaiian music crosses language barriers, allowing emotions and personal reflections of Hawaiʻi’s beauty to be expressed when words may alone not be understood. As a Hawaiian musician, I have been fortunate to learn from many great musicians and have been able to travel throughout Hawaiʻi, Japan and the West coast. In some of the most contentious times in my life’s journey, music is what allowed me to connect with people. I thank Ke Akua for all that Hawaiian music has afforded me.”
To watch a heartwarming interview of Kekoa telling how he became a song director, visit this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS5NQYLhqik
This year’s recordings share beautiful mele, along with students explaining the intentions behind each original composition. Themes center on aloha ‘āina and the impact of important environmental, cultural and social issues, including rapid ‘ōhi‘a death, the protection of Kahoʻolawe and legacy of Kalaupapa. Here’s the link to Kamehameha School’s webpage: https://www.ksbe.edu/songcontest/2020.
There is an incredible amount of mana and beauty within music. Music has the ability to connect us with our culture, ancestors, and home; it is a form of expression and love. The Kamehameha Schools Song Contest has provided us with this connection for the past 100 years. Let us celebrate and welcome the next 100 years!
By Michelle Kiczek, Development Assistant, May 17, 2020.