Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 9, 1 September 2017 — The Thousand-Kanaka Kanikapila [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Thousand-Kanaka Kanikapila

Mana Maoli unites students and musicians with new Song Across Hawai'i video debut

By Lindsey Kesel Mana Maoli's first Song Across Hawai'i video collaboration in 2016, "Hawai'i Aloha," transcended expectations by garnering over 5 million views, engaging viewers at The Smithsonian and on Hawaiian Airlines flights, and winning a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award. Now the collective's mueh-an-ticipated follow-up project, "Island Style - 'Ōiwi Ē," is about to drop. Created to honor beloved and influential Hawaiian musicians lost this past year, and to raise awareness and support of the Mana Mele Project, the video features over 1,000 Hawaiian charter school students

and 30 Mana Mele artists - loeal legends John Cruz & 'Ohana, Jack Johnson, Paula Fuga, Amy Hanaiali'i Oilliom, Eli-Mae, Natalie Ai Kamauu, īaimane, Tavana, Josh Tatofi, Kamaka Fernandez, Glenn of Maoli, Niek of Ooklah the Moe, Lehua Kalima and more. The video's first song is the timeless anthem "Island Style," dedicated to the Cruz 'Ohana, who lost Ernie Sr., Ernie Jr. and Guy Cruz last year. "Most would agree, no other family has influenced Hawai'i's music scene more in recent decades," says Mana Maoli Director Keola Nakanishi. "They 've supported us countless times since the very beginning. We wanted to honor the 'ohana, if not contribute to the healing process in some small way." The second song in the medley, "'Ōiwi Ē," is performed in celebration of the life of Kumu John Keolamaka'āinana Lake, a leader of the modern Hawaiian Renaissance who actually created the song by writing Hawaiian lyrics over the Maori melody to celebrate the ties between Aotearoa and Hawai'i. Though most people know Mana Maoli from their large-scale eoncerts and the five volumes of CDs released over the last decade and a half, the hui does mueh more than make music. The 501(c)(3) organization also spearheads the Mana Mele Project, where students learn their ABCs - Academics, Business and Culture - through music and multimedia. Mana Mele is currently in all 10 of the Hawaiian charter schools on O'ahu and Kaua'i, plus a few DOE schools with high populations of Native Hawaiian students.

The first Mana Maoli CD and concert eame about "on accident" says Nakanishi: In 2001, six charter school youth ages 11 to 18 co-wrote a song called "7th Generation," about how the prophecies of Native Americans and Native Hawaiians align. Several musician friends of Nakanishi's were already in the process of burning CDs with clips of their jam sessions, to give to friends and family as Makahiki gifts. The creative ambition of these six students inspired them to record and add the song to the mix, and promote the album as a fundraiser for the Hawaiian Charter School Allianee. Mana Maoli created the Maoli Music Program and started bringing artists into the schools, whieh evolved into today's Mana Mele Project that facilitates yearlong classes, mentorships with pro artists on and off campus and onsite visits with their solar-powered mobile studio. "Music is already invaluable as a creative and emotional outlet to document stories and histories. Mana Mele takes it further by integrating academics, real world learning and a foundation of Hawaiian language, culture and values," says Nakanishi. "Music became the lens through whieh students began to learn and appreciate all kinds of knowledge, from math to career readiness." To pull off such a large video eollaboration, Mana Maoli partnered with Playing for Change, a multimedia music movement focused on inspiring, connecting and bringing peaee to the world through music. SEE MANA MA0LI ON PAGE 11

MELEAILANA w i ISLAND MUSIC SCENE /

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Mana Maoli's new Song Across Hawai'i video has a star-studded lineup, including Jack Johnson (right). - Photos: Courtesy of Mana Maoli

The Cruz 'Ohana sings "lsland Style," dedicated to Ernie Sr., Ernie Jr. and Guy Cruz, who werelost lastyear.

MANA MAOLI

Continued from page 10 With 17 scenes, around 20 takes per scene, two to eight microphones per location and hundreds of hours of audio and video mixing, the production of "Island Style - 'Ōiwi Ē" required a small army. Mentors guided Hawaiian charter school youth in every part of the process, from participating in onlocation shoots to post-production. All students learned to sing the two mele and studied the wisdom embedded in the lyrics, and many learned to play the songs on various instruments. Now, the students are focused on getting the word out about their finished masterpiece through heavy promotion in their communities and on social media. "Island Style - 'Ōiwi Ē" is set for release on Mana Maoli's Facebook page and their manamele.org website on Sept. 25, but locals ean view it early by joining their email list, or attending the video premiere eon-

cert scheduled for Sept. 20 in the Ward Village courtyard of the IBM Building. The event promises to be a special night of remembrance and celebration, with a full set by Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and mini-acous-tic performances from many other artists from the video, including Kamaka Fernandez, Pomai Lyman, Lehua Kalima, īaimane, Paula Fuga and a few surprise guests. "This medley is about being proud of who you are and where you are from, but also about forging unity across all nations and ethnicities," says Nakanishi. "The song "'Ōiwi Ē" talks about the sands of your birth and being good stewards of Hawai'i, but also calls out to all tribes to eome together and initiate change. . . We thought it was a great message to have that halanee." Join the email list at manamele.org to stay in touch with events, video releases and more. The concert is a free event, but RSVP is required, and a VIP ophon is available with donation. ■