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 (Prayer Chants)	Emily Kau'i Zuttermeister	01:09
102	Mele Kāhea (Password to Dance Area)	Hau'olionalani Lewis	00:30
103	Mele Komo (Welcome to Dance Area)	Noenoelani Lewis	00:22
104	Kau ka hali'a i ka manawa / Kaulīlua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale	Noenoelani Lewis and Hau'olionalani Lewis	03:15
105	Aloha e ke kai o Kalalau	Noenoelani Lewis and Hau'olionalani Lewis	01:36
106	Hanohano ka uka o Pihanakalani	Noenoelani 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	Kaulilua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale (1)	James Kapihe Pālea Kuluwaimaka	01:20
111	O 'oe 'ia e Wailua'iki / Kaulilua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale (2)	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 (1)	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	‘Ulei pahu i ka moku (1)	Waiwaiole Kala	00:37
117	‘Ulei pahu i ka moku (2)	Mary Kawena Pukui	01:08
118	Kaulilua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale (3)	Keaka Kanahele	02:28
119	Au'a 'ia e kama e kona moku (1)	Keaka Kanahele	01:23
120	Kaulilua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale (4)	Mary Kawena Pukui	01:55
121	Au'a 'ia e kama e kona moku (2)	Mary Kawena Pukui	00:40
122	Kaulilua i ke anu Wai'ale'ale (5)	Mary Kawena Pukui	01:59
123	A Ko'olau au 'ike i ka ua (1)	Ka'upena Wong	02:25
124	A Ko'olau au 'ike i ka ua (2)	Hoakalei Kamau'u	01:40
125	Kū'oe i ka'u wahi 'Ōhelo	Tom Hiona	01:56