  {"id":186685,"date":"2023-11-07T16:04:48","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T02:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=186685"},"modified":"2023-11-09T10:42:08","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T20:42:08","slug":"maori-musicians-mentor-manoa-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/11\/07\/maori-musicians-mentor-manoa-students\/","title":{"rendered":"M\u0101ori musicians mentor M\u0101noa students in contemporary song compositions"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><figure id=\"attachment_186723\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-186723\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-2.jpg\" alt=\"people sitting and standing around round tables\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-186723\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-2.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-2-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-186723\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hawaiian theatre students weave songs and music together<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ten students in the University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> at M\u0101noa <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/hanakeaka\/\">Hawaiian Theatre program<\/a> are tapping deeply into their <span aria-label=\"naau\">na&#699;au<\/span> (gut) to acquire the art of composing mele (songs) rooted in Indigenous traditions. Throughout November, the award-winning program in the <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/liveonstage\/theatre\/\">theatre and dance department<\/a> is hosting guest artists from Aotearoa (New Zealand) who are mentoring haum\u0101na (students) at <abbr title=\"东精影业\">东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa to write original songs in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>\u2019s native tongue across contemporary genres such as R&#38;B, soul, pop and reggae.<\/p>\n<div style=\"float:right;clear:right;margin:0 0 0 15px;\"><figure id=\"attachment_186735\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-186735\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-5a.jpg\" alt=\"Kawana\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-full wp-image-186735\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-5a.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-5a-130x130.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-186735\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">M\u0101ori recording artist Tawaroa Kawana (TAWAZ)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<div style=\"float:right;clear:right;margin:0 0 0 15px;\"><figure id=\"attachment_186734\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-186734\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-4s.jpg\" alt=\"Hanita-Paki\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-full wp-image-186734\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-4s.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-4s-130x130.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-186734\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">M\u0101ori recording artist M\u0101ori recording artist Hena Hanita-Paki<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>M\u0101ori musicians Tawaroa Kawana and Hera Hanita-Paki are known for captivating audiences with their original recordings penned in te reo M\u0101ori (M\u0101ori language). The Indigenous artists are also immersed in Waiata M\u0101ori, a traditional music genre from Aotearoa that is reflective of M\u0101ori traditions and beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This collaboration is about building capacity in our l\u0101hui (nation) to create and tell our stories in our language through the medium of mele,&rdquo; said Tammy <span aria-label=\"Hailiopua\">Haili&#699;&#333;pua<\/span> Baker, professor and founder of the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Hawaiian Theatre Program. [We want our haum\u0101na to] expand their horizons, support their dream and artistic goals ma ka <span aria-label=\"olelo\">&#699;&#333;lelo<\/span> <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> (in the Hawaiian language).&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This artist residency is apart of <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/anno\/\"><span aria-label=\"Ahahui\">&#699;Ahahui<\/span> <span aria-label=\"Noii\">Noi&#699;i<\/span> <span aria-label=\"Noeau\">No&#699;eau<\/span> <span aria-label=\"Oiwi\">&#699;&#332;iwi<\/span><\/a> or <abbr>ANNO<\/abbr>, a research institute for Indigenous performance which is part of a strategic investment initiative awarded by the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/provost\/\">Office of the Provost<\/a> and is comprised of three paths; scholarship and publication, curriculum and archive, and engagement and recruitment. The initiative is geared toward hosting guest artists from <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> and Oceania to mentor <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa students and generate creative research together.<\/p>\n<p>Participating Haum\u0101na<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker, <abbr>PhD<\/abbr> English<\/li>\n<li><span aria-label=\"Kaiukapu\">Ka&#699;iukapu<\/span> Baker, <abbr>MFA<\/abbr> Hawaiian Theatre<\/li>\n<li>Kamalei Krug, <abbr>PhD<\/abbr> Education<\/li>\n<li><span aria-label=\"Kaula\">Ka&#699;ula<\/span> Krug, <abbr>MET<\/abbr>, College of Education <\/li>\n<li><span aria-label=\"Leleapaoo\">Leleapao&#699;o<\/span> Krug, Hawaiian Language<\/li>\n<li>Ikaika Mendez, <abbr>MFA<\/abbr> Hawaiian Theatre<\/li>\n<li>Wahine Nahale-a, Dietetics and Hawaiian Studies<\/li>\n<li><span aria-label=\"Ikaaka\">&#699;Ika&#699;aka<\/span> N&#257;huewai, <abbr>PhD<\/abbr> Hawaiian and Indigenous Theatre<\/li>\n<li>Joshua <span aria-label=\"Kamoaniala\">Kamoani&#699;ala<\/span> Tavares, <abbr>MFA<\/abbr> Acting and Hawaiian Theatre<\/li>\n<li>John Taukave, <abbr>MA<\/abbr> Pacific Island Studies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Hawaiian expression<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_186722\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-186722\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-1-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"3 people sitting near piano\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-186722\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-1-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-1.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-186722\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joshua <span aria-label=\"Kamoaniala\">Kamoani&#699;ala<\/span> Tavares, Ikaika Mendez and Tawaroa Kawana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Each of the <abbr>东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa students have a foundation in <span aria-label=\"olelo\">&#699;&#333;lelo<\/span> <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>, having attended either primary or secondary schooling at a Hawaiian language immersion school here in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Tavares, an acting and Hawaiian theatre <abbr>MFA<\/abbr> candidate, is an aspiring recording artist and worked closely with Kawana on creating a melody for his mele, <span aria-label=\"O\">&#699;O<\/span> wai l&#257; <span aria-label=\"oe\">&#699;oe<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I had that one phrase in my notes and we listened to the melody of a song I currently like by Jhene Aiko and we played with chord progression and melody and came up with something really cool,&rdquo; Tavares explained. &ldquo;I felt really blocked but kept trying to open myself up to the experience and I\u2019m glad I did because we came up with a haunting and melancholic sound.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><span aria-label=\"Kaiukapu\">Ka&#699;iukapu<\/span> Baker is a second year <abbr>MFA<\/abbr> Hawaiian theatre candidate who feels fascinated by the entire mele creation process and what she was able to accomplish.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Going into this process I was completely terrified to write a mele because I had no experience in it,&rdquo; Baker said. &ldquo;However, the week of this workshop I had two hooks come to me so I proposed them to Tawaroa and he took them and built two main hooks out of them.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_186724\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-186724\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-3-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"3 people sitting around a table\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-186724\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-3-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/manoa-maori-musicians-mentor-3.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-186724\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ikaika Mendez, John Taukave and M\u0101ori recording artist Hena Hanita-Paki collaborate in <span aria-label=\"Punaluu\">Punalu&#699;u<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Maui native Mendez is also working on his <abbr>MFA<\/abbr> in Hawaiian theatre. He has appreciated the journey in composing a mele about his home island and the interweaving of Indigenous traditions and perspectives.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It was interesting to see the difference and similarities in how we approach our composition and arrangements of song. The M\u0101ori have such a strong foundation in their language; therefore, allowing them to be free for expression,&rdquo; Mendez said. &ldquo;For me, I am still grasping the knowledge of our native tongue to express what I am thinking and experiencing. This definitely allowed me space to be creative and just write!&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Mele debut<\/h2>\n<p>The Hawaiian theatre students will perform their compositions at Ka P&#333; <span aria-label=\"Lea\">Le&#699;a<\/span> o <span aria-label=\"Halalii\">Hal&#257;li&#699;i<\/span> on Wednesday, November 8, 6&#8211;8:30 p.m. at M\u0101noa Gardens. Kawana and Hanita-Paki will also share a special performance alongside <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> musicians <span aria-label=\"Ikaakamai\">&#699;Ika&#699;akamai<\/span> and <span aria-label=\"Kaikena\">Ka&#699;ikena<\/span> Scanlan. The event is free and open to the public.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The award-winning Hawaiian Theatre program brought in guest artists from Aotearoa (New Zealand) to help students compose songs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1471,33,130,76,9],"class_list":["post-186685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-college-of-arts-languages-and-letters","tag-hawaiian","tag-theatre","tag-theatre-and-dance","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186685"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":186775,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186685\/revisions\/186775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}