MidWeek East - August 24, 2022

FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 24, 2022
CLEANUP FESTIVAL
Local nonprofit beautifies Kaimukī neighborhood. SEE PAGE 6
OCEAN FESTIVITIES
Hear from Gary Kewley in The Wavelength. SEE PAGE 7
Teaching Love Of ‘Ukulele In Kaimukī
A PUBLICATION OF
AN EDITION OF
GET FIT
F45 Training ambassador Cory George recently visited the F45 Training Hawai‘i Kai studio. For more information, visit f45training.com/ hawaiikai/home. PHOTO COURTESY TARA MORENFELD OF SKY AND REEF PHOTOGRAPHY/NATALIE SCHULTE
ABY STEPHANIE LOPES
fter more than five decades of teaching ‘ukulele, Roy Sakuma reflects, “I am really thankful I
stayed with it.”
With the assistance of dedicated wife
Kathy, Roy Sakuma ‘Ukulele Studios have opened schools across O‘ahu, including in Kaimukī. It has garnered the reputation of being Hawai‘i’s top ‘ukulele school, with past students such as Jake Shimabukuro, and has collected an abundance of acco- lades, including former Gov. Ben Cayeta- no proclaiming July 30 as Roy Sakuma Day.
The start of Sakuma’s ‘ukulele career and his relationship with his wife revolves around an internationally influential ‘uku- lele player — Herb “Ohta-San” Ohta. In 1964, Roy heard Ohta-San’s hit song, Su- shi, sought him out and fervently practiced ‘ukulele.
“Ohta-San taught me how to play,” rec- ollects Roy. “Then he went on tour to Ja- pan and asked me to teach his classes. I
SEE PAGE 4