Hawaiian Music

[Name of the Author]

Hawaiian Music

Introduction

Buke Mele Lahui (Book of National Songs) volume brings together expressions of abiding devotion to Hawaii—the land, the ruling monarchs, the independent and sovereign kingdom. Many of these expressions are direct responses to the turmoil of the late 19th century, in particular the 1887 promulgation of the Bayonet Constitution that disenfranchised so many subjects of the Hawaiian kingdom, the 1889 revolt that attempted to reverse the erosion of those civil rights, the 1893 overthrow of Queen Lili uokalani, and the counterrevolution in 1895 by loyalists trying to restore the Queen to the throne.

Discussion

In late 1895, Francisco Jose Testa, editor of Ka Makaainana, collected 105 mele together in one volume to be published as Buke Mele Lahui. Testa, known as “Hoke” in Hawaiian, refers to these compositions as “mele aloha aina,” patriotic songs or songs of loyalty. Outpourings of such loyalty to the kingdom and monarchy were cast poetically and published regularly in pro-royalist Hawaiian-language newspapers of the time, especially Hawaii Holomua, Ka Lei Momi, Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Ka Makaainana, and Nupepa Ka Oiaio. Although Testa's introduction states that these texts were drawn from published sources, only about half of the texts have been identified thus far in earlier publications .

The publication of Buke Mele Lahui was augmented by dozens of advertisements placed throughout the book, all of which are reprinted here. These advertisements, a fascinating topic in their own right, give insight into the small businesses of the time and their operations, while illuminating how they presented them- selves and their allegiances to the public during a politically volatile period. In that way, the advertisements open windows on unique ways that royalist efforts were supported across certain segments of Hawaiian society during the period. Texts, especially in the first half of the volume, are explicitly nationalist, giving rise to the term mele lahui, or national songs. In fact, some texts were composed in the days immediately following the 1895 civil war or counterrevolution. Rebels were still engaged with forces of the government, which had been proclaimed the Republic of Hawaii on July 4, 1894, but was still being referred to as the Provisional Government .

There are topical texts that specifically address the military logistics of the 1895 counterrevolution: examples include repeated reference to “puraifela,” rifles, sounding at Ka alawai Beach on the east side of Diamond Head; the “P.G.” Provisional Government, i.e., Republic of Hawaii, whose soldiers fought the loyalists; and the sites of the revolution aries' gradual retreat into Kaimuki, Manoa, and Nu uanu. Other [ xv ] texts present nationalist oaths of allegiance to the deposed Queen Lili uokalani, invoking terms and phrases such as “kupaa” stand firm, “mahope makou o Liliulani” we support Lili uokalani, and the slogan “no ka poe i aloha i ka aina” of the people who love the land. The second half of the volume contains mele with a broader range of poetic topics, some of which are not directly related ...