Hawaiian music

Hawaiian music
Name	Hawaiian music
Caption	ʻUkulele and steel guitar performance in Honolulu
Cultural origin	Hawaiian Islands
Instruments	ʻukulele, steel guitar, slack-key guitar, pahu, ipu, oli

Hawaiian music is the musical tradition originating in the Hawaiian Islands and performed by Native Hawaiians and residents of Hawaii and the wider Polynesia. It encompasses indigenous chant and hula, instrumental developments such as the steel guitar and ʻukulele, and cross-cultural influences from United States mainland, Japan, Philippines, Portugal, and Samoa. As both a ceremonial and popular form, it has shaped identity in contexts such as the Hawaiian Renaissance, tourism in Honolulu, and diaspora communities across Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City, and San Francisco.

History

Early development involved kapu-era chant performed by aliʻi and kahuna on islands like Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Kauaʻi, with chants recorded during contacts with explorers such as James Cook and missionaries from London Missionary Society. The arrival of immigrant laborers from Portugal (bringing the machete-like cavaquinho), Japan (shamisen influences), and China (guitar techniques) in the 19th century catalyzed new forms. After Hawaiian monarchy events like the reign of King Kamehameha IV and the overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani, musicians such as those who performed for the Royal Hawaiian Band adapted Western harmony into mele and ʻōlelo noʻeau. The 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and the 1920s radio era linked performers from Honolulu to audiences in San Diego, Chicago, and New York, promoting artists who later recorded with labels like Victor Talking Machine Company and Decca Records.

Traditional Hawaiian Music and Instruments

Traditional forms include mele (chant), oli (recitative chant), and hula kahiko accompanied by percussive instruments such as the pahu and ipu. Instruments of note include the pahu used in ceremonies at sites like Puʻukoholā Heiau, the ipu heke and ipu ʻeleʻele, and the nose flute used on Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. After contact, indigenous practice incorporated the steel guitar and lap steel popularized by players initially connected to plantation communities in Hilo and Lāhainā. Hula performances at ʻIolani Palace and ceremonies associated with Kingdom of Hawaii rituals preserved mele like those noted by ethnomusicologists from Smithsonian Institution and collectors such as those working with the Bishop Museum.

Hawaiian Slack-Key and ʻUkulele Styles

Slack-key guitar (kī hō‘alu) emerged through adaptations of Spanish and Portuguese tuning introduced by laborers and sailors who visited ports such as Honolulu Harbor and Hilo Bay. Slack-key masters from regions like Kona and Waimea developed tunings identified with families and districts; recordings distributed by Hula Records and producers tied to Columbia Records documented these variations. The ʻukulele, adapted from the Portuguese machete and popularized by craftsmen in Madeira influences, became central to nightclub shows on Waikiki and radio broadcasts on stations such as KGMB. Players integrated fingerpicking, syncopation, and melodic ornamentation to suit styles associated with venues like the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and performers who toured with acts connected to the Ziegfeld Follies and vaudeville circuits.

Influence and Integration with Popular Genres

Hawaiian forms influenced and were influenced by genres including jazz, country, blues, and rock. Steel guitar techniques informed slide and lap steel approaches in Nashville country sessions and Memphis recordings, while Hawaiian harmonies appeared in jazz arrangements on the Blue Note Records label and in compositions performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival and Newport Jazz Festival. Postwar tourism and film productions set in Hawaii—produced by studios such as RKO Pictures and Walt Disney Studios—popularized Hawaiian sounds in lounge, exotica, and surf music recordings by labels like Capitol Records and Verve Records. Crossovers involved collaborations with artists from Los Angeles Philharmonic, session musicians from Muscle Shoals, and producers affiliated with Motown Records when Hawaiian artists sought mainstream exposure.

Notable Musicians and Bands

Prominent historical and contemporary figures include chanters and hula composers linked to royal courts and cultural revival, as well as virtuosos of slack-key and ʻukulele. Influential performers and contributors have worked with ensembles such as the Royal Hawaiian Band, toured with acts connected to Ernest L. Golden and producers who recorded for Decca Records. Notable names include master slack-key players who recorded for Island Records and ʻukulele innovators who influenced artists in Tokyo and London; bands that popularized Hawaiian repertoires performed in venues from Aloha Stadium to Moana Surfrider.

Festivals, Venues, and Recordings

Events and institutions supporting the tradition include festivals, competitions, and archives across the islands and diaspora. Key gatherings occur at sites like Kapiʻolani Park and cultural centers connected to University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the Hawaiʻi State Archives. Major festivals, contests, and showcases have featured competitions judged by panels from establishments including the Bishop Museum, broadcasting segments on stations such as KHON-TV and networks like PBS. Recordings made for labels ranging from historic companies like Victor Talking Machine Company to independent imprints preserved performances in collections held by repositories such as the Library of Congress and the Hawaiian Historical Society.

Category:Music of Hawaii