Hawaiian Drum Dance Chants: Sounds of Power in Time

In the eastern Polynesian islands known as Hawaii, the making of music and dance is center on mele or chanted texts. Mele, sung alone, are said to be performed in the oli style (without dance or musical instruments). When coupled with hula (dance), they are called mele hula, and when the pahu drum is added the performance is called mele hula pahu. More specific terms are also applied to mele that are used for specific purposes such as processionals, prayers, and naming.

The practice of perpetuating tradition through the teacher-student relationship is strong in Hawaiian mele. Performers’ styles are recognized, back through time, in their teacher’s, and their teachers’ teacher’s styles. These recordings give a view of several performance styles of Hawaiian mele between 1923 and 1989, although the traditions and the mele reach much further back in time.

Track Listing

101	Mele Pule	Emily Kau'i Zuttermeister	01:09
102	Mele Kāhea	Hau'olionalani Lewis	00:30
103	Mele Komo (Welcome to dance area)	Noenoelani Zuttermeister Lewis	00:22
104	Kau ka hali'a I ka manawa / Kaulīlua I ke anu Wai'ale'ale (medley)	Noenoelani Zuttermeister Lewis and Hau'olionalani Lewis	03:15
105	Aloha e ke kai o Kalalau	Noenoelani Zuttermeister Lewis and Hau'olionalani Lewis	01:36
106	Hanohano ka uka o Pilanakalani	Noenoelani Zuttermeister Lewis and Hau'olionalani Lewis	01:47
107	Noho ana ke akua i ka nāhelehele	Brenda Lehua Hulihe'e	00:31
108	Ke ala ke aloha ma ka hikina	Anthony La'akapu Lenchanko	00:33
109	Ku'u wahine i ka ua 'Ulalena	Charles Albert Manu'aikohanaiki'ilili Boyd	02:34
110	Kaulīlua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale	James Kapihe Pālea Kuluwaimaka	01:20
111	O 'oe 'ia e Wailua'iki/Kaulīlua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale	Samuel Pua Ha'aheo	02:43
112	Kau ka hali'a i ka manawa/Au'a 'ia e Kama e kona moku	Samuel Pua Ha'aheo	02:28
113	'Eia o Kalani Kamanomano	Keahi Luahine	00:38
114	Ke akua i ka uwalo i ka la'i e/'Eia o Kalani Kamanomano	Mary Kawena Pukui	01:16
115	Ke akua i ka uwalo i ka la'i e/A Hāmakua au 'ike i ka pali	Hoakalei Kamau'u	02:11
116	'Ūlei pahu i ka moku	Waiwaiole Kala	00:37
117	'Ūlei pahu i ka moku	Mary Kawena Pukui and Patience Namaka Wiggin Bacon	01:08
118	Kaulīlua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale	Keaka Kanahele	02:28
119	Au'a 'ia e kama e kona moku	Keaka Kanahele	01:23
120	Kaulīlua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale	Mary Kawena Pukui and Patience Namaka Wiggin Bacon	01:55
121	Au'a 'ia e kama e kona moku	Mary Kawena Pukui and Patience Namaka Wiggin Bacon	00:40
122	Kaulīlua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale	Mary Kawena Pukui	01:59
123	A Ko'olau au 'ike i ka ua	Ka'upena Wong	02:25
124	A Ko'olau au 'ike i ka ua	Hoakalei Kamau'u	01:40
125	Kū'oe i ka'u wahi 'Ōhelo	Tom Hiona	01:56