Ok. What a miserable work day.
Hawaii and visits and culture:
Sasquatch we plan a Ohana visit sometime this summer to early fall. If I had to guess: early September. Timing is indefinite due to youngest college daughter graduation in May. Then it is job hunt and location unknown. So summer is dicey for booking very expensive Island flights and hotels. Staying somewhere Kona to Waikoloa to maybe even the legendary Mauna Kea. Ms. LD and I stayed at the Mauna Kea back in 1989 before having daughter number one, in fact she was pregnant and wise old lady on beach predicted a girl.
On the song: it is famous as a protest song against the USA colonial expansionism. This happened in the late 1890s when the Hawaiian royalty was summarily deposed, with military threats. Contracts were signed for large land tracts and the pineapple farming took off. Lahaina was always a big whaling port with a huge American presence. Almost all genuine Hawaiian bands, singers, events feature a singing of Kaulana Na Pua. It is analog to Dixie if one is from the Southern Civil war culture, or the various TEXAS songs of pride and culture.
This video explains a bit. Only older women hula dancers are traditionally allowed to dance the song. Kaulana Na Pua is sacred.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqHRh-F-HV8&index=3&list=PLqgg5E3rUAkv6WV2hN9YPxeGqsRuGnfunThe hula is very expressive, and sad. Here is a thorough explanation, with translation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaulana_N%C4%81_PuaI tripped on Hawaiian history and struggles via many visits in the early eighties and nineties. While living in Anchorage, AK there were some Hawaiian transplants during the oil boom of 1981-3. They came to see the Great Land, open spaces, mountains and winter. So, I got to encounter the greater Pacific Rim cultures while a sourdough: a great privilege. Hawaiians were particularly kind and hospitable to bone white, frozen Alaskan visitors showing up wearing heavy tundra boots, down coats, multiple layers, etc and big eyes viewing their gorgeous Islands.
So, yeah there it is. Listening and watching the video above twists my heart for the old Hawaii, the land that was lost, and industrialization of a phenomenal land and culture. Iolani Palace is a very special place where I studied some of the history and uniqueness of Hawaii.
http://www.iolanipalace.org/There it is. Sasquatch: hope to meet you. Buy you a drink at the Mauna Kea? Watch out for my drunk girls though: wicked sense of humor.
