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Music Sin Fronteras

I am back from vacation with photos and songs and interviews. We were in Hawaii, Guam and the island nation of Palau in Micronesia. Because of our schedule, the most music I found was in Hawaii, although I learned that the Pacific Islands boast a wide range of both indigenous and modern music.

The most interesting experiences were in Waimea Canyon Park, on Kauai. The canyon is a state park but a local non-profit works with the park service to preserve not only the magnificent rivers and waterfalls and plants and animals, but the culture of the people who lived there, and still do. Part of that culture is music and there were demonstrations with artists and instruments set up along a trail through the canyon.

Two instruments struck me as I listened to the artists demonstrating the music of the present and the past, the nose flute, and the ukulele.

I had not seen a nose flute before. The Hawaiian nose flute, also known as the ʻOhe hano Ihu”, is a traditional instrument made from a single stalk of bamboo. It is considered a lovers’ instrument in Hawaii. In ancient times, couples in love would often seek out the flute to accompany their love-making chants. (unfortunately, that was not demonstrated)

While nose flutes occur in many places throughout the Pacific, the flutes I saw and practiced on were hand-crafted locally. The musician demonstrating the flutes had several instruments, some of which he made.  Each one was  unique in size, shape, color, and, of course, sound.

I noticed that the holes were spaced differently on each instrument, and he told me that traditionally the man who intended to play the flute while wooing his sweetheart, specified the spacing of the holes and the length of the instrument. (I suspect many men would like to specify the length of their instrument while dating, but I digress.)

The artists showed me how to play the flute, which is deceptively easy. To play the flute, the index finger of the left hand is pressed against the left side of the nose to close the left nostril and concentrate airflow through the right. The thumb and other fingers of the left hand hold the instrument, while the index, middle, and ring fingers of the right hand are used to cover the finger holes. Then you exhale through your nostril, into the flute. Once you get it positioned just right, you have sound! I in no time at all I was following the musician in a simple song , although I am famously musically challenged.

Farther down the trail was a ukulele maker and musician. We all know the 4-string “uke” and the popular Hawaiian songs that have made it into our music minds, thanks to Don Ho and songs like “Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai and “My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii”. And as one who has attended the music equipment show NAMM and walked through acres of ukuleles in music booths, I was not surprised to hear an eight-string ukulele and see a huge jumble of shapes and sizes of the “uke” 

We heard traditional songs which sounded nothing like Don Ho, although they retained the high-pitched, fast-tempo of familiar Hawaiian music, but were more melodic and in some cases, nostalgic.   

While a number of artists like Carolyn Cardoza have electrified ukuleles and made beautiful, unusual music with them, I did not see a single pedal box attached to a ukulele in Hawaii. I suspect I just missed them. 

I intend to explore Pacific Island/Polynesian music more, but I did see that there is no shortage of pop, rock, rap, and even a little cumbia in the islands, courtesy of streaming platforms. But the quick conversations I had with bands told me they play covers for tourists, traditional music for festivals, and mashups and blends for themselves and local audiences. I am looking for those mashups and blends.

 If you want to see more on the music of the islands, the Celebrate Micronesia Festival at Bishop Museum in Hawaii starts June 16. I don’t know yet if it will be live streamed. We met a keyboard player in Palau who will be playing there, and I hope to get a link from him when he finds out.

For now, check out https://www.eastwestcenter.org/events/celebrate-micronesia-festival-2024

Patrick O’Heffernan, PhD., is a music journalist and radio broadcaster based in Los Angeles, California, with a global following. His two weekly radio programs, MusicFridayLive! and MusicaFusionLA are heard nationwide and in the UK. He focuses on two music specialties: emerging bands in all genres, and the growing LA-based ALM genre (American Latino Music) that combines rock and rap, blues and jazz and pop with music from Latin America like cumbia, banda, jarocho and mariachi. He also likes to watch his friend drag race.

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