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Topic: Hawaii's Indigenous Instrument - Undermined By Jumping Flea |
Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 12:28 am |
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Hawaiian House Bill 2573 would designate the ukulele as the official ‘auwana instrument of the State of Hawaii.
The Bill was introduced by Rep. Jimmy Tokioka and backed by a lot of his fellow reps, the bill has been scheduled for hearings.
The ukulele comes from Portugal, as the bill explains, and was popularized by Hawaiian royalty, plantation workers and musicians.
Note: 'ukulele, literally means, "leaping flea," from 'uku "louse, flea" + lele "to fly, jump, leap."
The only instrument indigenous to Hawaii is the Hawaiian Steel Guitar via Joseph Kekuku. That should be the official state instrument.
Can we organize a protest through telephone calls, emails, faxes, and letters to the legislators in Hawaii?
I will not sit down and pout, or be like a jelly fish with no backbone. It is time for steel guitar brothers to arise. The battle is ahead!!! 
Last edited by Don Kona Woods on 27 Feb 2014 7:23 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 4:35 am
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this unfortunately, has nothing to do with authentic history. 99.999% of the world associates the ukulele with hawaii and tourist buy cheap ukes and take them home with their leis and hawaiian shirts & grass skirts.
plus, the uke is experiencing a HUGE explosion right now in popularity among the younger generations. Ukelele clubs are popping up everywhere it seems with all ages and well attended. I know a guy who has become a full time uke teacher nearby!...try that with steel (unfortunately)
i visited the Mele.com web site under steel guitar CDs and was very surprised at the few selections available - while there are hundreds of uke based CDs... 
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 11:01 am
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| Neither the ukulele or the steel guitar are centuries old. I would have thought that the oldest indigenous Hawaiian instrument was the drum. What sort of music did the ancient Hawaiians play? |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 11:25 am
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By "official ‘auwana instrument" I believe the bill is referring to a more modern instrument than the ancient Hawaiians would have used.
I doubt a protest of malahini steel guitarists would make much of a difference. To most people the 'ukulele is the instrument most associated with Hawaii.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 11:26 am Don't forget the most awesome nose flute...
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I've been trying to find info like Don has provided to mount a cause to war for, and this does need all powers present at any and all opportunities to keep the steel's position against the buguitar.
I wonder who, if anybody, I'll see at any local hearings in the steel's favor that I don't personally drag down there?
Don, any further info/help is greatly appreciated!
| Alan Brookes wrote: |
| I would have thought that the oldest indigenous Hawaiian instrument was the drum. What sort of music did the ancient Hawaiians play? |
They used small stones as well and probably prior to any drum types, so I guess they played early rock. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 11:29 am
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| Brad Bechtel wrote: |
| To most people the 'ukulele is the instrument most associated with Hawaii. |
Only because supporters have been dismally MIA for decades and let the steel be overtaken and virtually forgotten, if even ever known by most of younger ages.
I knew this was going to happen. |
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James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 11:39 am
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| Doesn't the State legislature have anything better to do with its time? |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 12:00 pm
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| James Hartman wrote: |
| Doesn't the State legislature have anything better to do with its time? |
Yes, and virtually none of it good either. We rival the worst states when it comes to our politicians. So this is a chance to make an exception to the rule. |
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Andy Henriksen
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 12:29 pm
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| James Hartman wrote: |
| Doesn't the State legislature have anything better to do with its time? |
I'm sure there are economic/tourism/promo value to this type of legislation. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 12:39 pm
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| Andy Henriksen wrote: |
| I'm sure there are economic/tourism/promo value to this type of legislation. |
Nothing that steel couldn't accomplish like it did decades ago without the internet. |
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James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 4:01 pm
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| Ron Whitfield wrote: |
| James Hartman wrote: |
| Doesn't the State legislature have anything better to do with its time? |
Yes, and virtually none of it good either. We rival the worst states when it comes to our politicians. So this is a chance to make an exception to the rule. |
One can certainly argue that a "do nothing" State Legislature is less harmful than an active one. In my State, the legislature is noteworthy for being among the most expensive. I'd wager our politicians are at least as corrupt as yours.
Incidentally, I've had a small taste of HI politics: did volunteer work for a brief time for a Neil Abercrombie campaign in the late '70s when I was living out there. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 4:12 pm
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| James Hartman wrote: |
One can certainly argue that a "do nothing" State Legislature is less harmful than an active one.
I'd wager our politicians are at least as corrupt as yours.
I did volunteer work for a brief time for a Neil Abercrombie campaign in the late '70s when I was living out there. |
Oh, they're very busy, doing the devil's work, and yes, no matter what state they're mostly all corrupt.
That was a great time here aside from politics. I supported Neil all these decades and now I'm all about him being ONE AND DONE as Gov., hopefully never to be seen again. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 4:33 pm
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http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2573&year=2014
Jordan Ozaki submitted the bill; https://twitter.com/jordanozaki
Here's how she worded her testimony in favor of Hawaii GETTING a State instrument. I guess she's unaware that we've had the steel in that position for decades.
My name is Jordan Ozaki and I would like to submit written testimony in support of HB 2573. The ukulele is already a symbol of Hawaii and it should be offlcially honored and cherished for generations to come. Several other states already have designated state instruments and given Hawaii's unique culture, we should have one too. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on HB 2573. Aloha, Jordan Ozaki
Not sure how close this is to passing but if this is going to be thwarted it'll take a major push, and we do have the numbers just here on the SGF to do so. But do we have the will? If it can be withdrawn then contacting her to do so is #1. |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 5:28 pm
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I think its a "don't care". State flower, state bird, state instrument... how many of the 50 states can lay unique claim to an instrument and if so which instrument for Alaska, Washington DC, Maryland....etc etc..
Like it or not, the ukulele is making waves because it is portable, cheap and easy to learn. You can have a bus-load of folk all playing ukulele while travelling on the bus.... Not quite the same can be said for steel or slack key or even normal guitar. I am astounded by the number of ukulele makers I saw at NAMM this year.
On the positive side, wherever there is an ukulele, a steel guitar should not be too far away. As Alan Akaka says, there is no better instrument than a steel guitar to evoke the feeling and spirit of Hawaii....unfortunately, too few know it. The best way to make our favourite instrument more popular is to play it as often as possible, and in as many situations as possible.
When the pop world markets decide some day that it has had enough of tone-less and cadence-less songs, and there develops a loop-back to instrumentals, the steel guitar should be there to take up the slack (no pun intended).
Kay |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 5:43 pm
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| Kay Das wrote: |
ukulele is making waves because it is portable, cheap and easy to learn.
The best way to make our favourite instrument more popular is to play it as often as possible, and in as many situations as possible. |
It always has been, and has had it's upsurges over the years, but Jake is the big reason now.
The steel should have been included at every State/City function where musicians were supplied from the day it became the State instrument. We wouldn't be having this problem now if it had. |
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Martin Curnan
From:
Lihue, Kauai
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 5:40 am House bill 2573
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| When I first heard about this bill I was "Nuha" (upset) to say the least. But since I have settled down and realized that we all know the steel stands alone in its importance to hawaiian music and it should never be used for political purposes. There are thousands of young and old playing the uke now which is great and I can't argue the testimony that was brought forth. So now we will have the ukulele the state instrument along with the humuhumunukuapua'a the state fish,the hibiscus the state flower and the Nene the state bird. Does it really matter? We all do what we do for the love of the steel so lets all "take it easy" |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 9:53 am
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| Kay Das wrote: |
| ...the ukulele is making waves because it is portable, cheap and easy to learn. You can have a bus-load of folk all playing ukulele while travelling on the bus... |
That was the case in the 1930s, when everyone and his dog had an ukulele, but I hadn't heard that the ukulele was making a comeback. It's prime days were decades ago. Is it really making waves amongst the youngsters? |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 10:07 am
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Ever since this single clip was posted to youtube and went viral...now at 12 million views, and there are a lot of copies with high view counts out there...and he now tours internationally...the ukulele was reborn...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k
_________________
www.facebook.com/swingaliband & a few more....
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor |
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Andy Henriksen
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 11:18 am
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
| Is it really making waves amongst the youngsters? |
I would say so. Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam fame) released a solo album called "Ukulele Songs" a few years back....not that he...or his fans are exactly youngsters, though. (Great album, by the way, in my opinion)
There are several other rock and pop bands that have songs featuring ukes in the last few years, too, like that "Hey Soul Sister" song by Train. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 11:30 am Re: House bill 2573
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I'm trying to learn twitter today just for this occasion, has anybody twitted Jordan to clue her in on the long standing facts and encourage her to rescind her idea completely?
Every person mentioned in her bill as supporters need to be contacted immediately and educated and/or persuaded to get this reversed before it goes any further.
| Martin Curnan wrote: |
| "take it easy" |
That's what got us in the untenable predicament. It took legions of high profile persons willing to not take it quite so easy and get the steel in it's proper place in this state decades ago and now all those folks are gone and most left to carry the torch tossed it off.
It's not for me to speak for Hawaiians but this is another incredible example of Hawaiian heritage being disregarded and disrespected in it's own land so that those growing up may never know about their history and achievements. How many David Kelii's or Billy Hew Len's have not been developed these many years simply because the steel was not promoted?
And taking it easy now means kissing it off, probably forever. I don't think that's the history we especially need to witness in our lifetime. |
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Martin Curnan
From:
Lihue, Kauai
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 12:06 pm Take it easy
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| Ron your taking in context about taking it easy. I am part hawaiian and I'm not going get into a controversy with what instrument becomes the state instrument as you know the ipu was also considered. There are a lot more important issues we are challenged with. As everyone on the forum there is a passion for the steel. I commend you for your knowledge and contributions. "Play it and they will come" |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 12:51 pm
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I tried to remove your name from the quote so it wouldn't seem personal in questioning the statement, Martin, but no luck. I figured you had Hawaiian blood from the time we met on Lewers, and as such you have way more to be concerned about than myself.
But the passion here is yet to be seen, and when so many today don't even care what they call the STEEL GUITAR, I'm not so sure we can see success even tho steel has reemerged recently to some degree. If we'd kept playing it en mass and playing it 'well' for the public over the last decades we wouldn't be having this discussion. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 4:21 pm
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| Anybody try to tweet Jordan yet? Her page won't send my message. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 11:29 pm
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Ron says,
I contacted every legislator on that list by email advocating for the Hawaiian Steel Guitar and posted two sites that they could visit to enhance their understanding of the historical roots of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar. Legislators like to hear from people and receive input; so I gave it.
I quickly received a response from Representative Nicole Lowen. She writes: Aloha, thanks for taking the time to write. I voted with reservations on this bill today, after learning about these same concerns from someone else last week.
I think if we are going to designate an official state instrument that we need to take the time to ensure we make the right choice. Mahalo nui loa,
Making contact with legislators is an effective way to voice your views. It is called Legislative activity!  |
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