Page 11 - MidWeek - April 12, 2023

I recently attended my first Kamehameha Schools song contest. It was the 103rd annual event, and the theme was “Na Mele Paniolo” (songs of the Hawaiian cowboy). Not knowing what to expect, I went in with no preconceptions and was blown away from the moment my ride-share dropped me off.
It was more than an hour before showtime and the lot was already filled with tailgaters who had arrived three-plus hours prior to snag the good parking. The breezeway between the exhibition hall and arena was bustling with families and friends. There was a special entrance leading into the arena for the students to walk through so their families could cheer them on. It was fascinating how they could perpetuate this 103-year tradition with such excitement and precision. And, it didn’t end there!
Each class did a great
job selecting songs that fit the paniolo theme — and all sang beautifully. After the competition was over, and while the scores were being tallied, they had hō‘ike telling stories in song and dance about their chosen program. The hō‘ike team did a marvelous job portraying the rich cultural heritage of the Hawaiian cowboys and the marks they imprinted on our culture in an upbeat historical timeline.
As I watched each class compete — rising and sitting on command and coming together as a group to meet in the aisles — memories came flooding back of watching the competition on TV when I was a young child. As kids, we would all take turns being the song leader, instructing their group when to rise and sit. Those were good times!
As I listened and read the English translation in the liner notes, more memories came to my mind about
April 12, 2023 MIDWEEK 11
PAULETTE ITO
SVP Marketing
Hawaiian Financial Federal Credit Union
Part Of You Paulette Ito
country living on Hawai‘i Island. There were a few familiar songs, but the most familiar was Hawaiian Cowboy by Sol K. Bright. This song was played and sung in our household many times. Although the students’ version was arranged differently from my favorite rendition by WillieK,itwasnonetheless transformative, taking me back to simpler times and fond memories.
How do we capture culturally significant moments and pass them on? Participating in cultural activities at home allows me to remain firmly connected with my roots, while participating in cultural events abroad enables me to learn about and appreciate other cultures. And, the more I
explore, the more I find we are much more alike than we are different. So, my answer to how we capture and pass down things of cultural significance is to actively participate in them.
I love poi — just straight poi with no sugar or milk. I have a great friend on Kaua‘i who sends me amazing taro, so I boil it, mash it to pa‘i ‘ai, divide it and freeze it for later use. I’ve even taken a class with my family on pounding poi. Understanding how and why things are done is important to me; actually doing them is my way of perpetuating and preserving our culture.
How many of you wish your grandma had shown you how to make her favorite Portuguese bean
soup? Sure, you can always look up the recipe online, but the hands-on sentiment and joy of sharing a family tradition is worth so much more. And, no matter what Google says, it never tastes as good as it does coming from the original source.
Documenting your memories and cultural practices are important. That’s why Hawaiian Financial Federal Credit Union created the “Get Your House in Order” campaign, along with the Ho‘okele personal planning booklet. Ho‘okele contains legacy wishes, employment and retirement information, insurance and bank document locations, vital contacts, and other important information.
There are four phases of
the “Get Your House in Order”campaign,withanew section of the Ho‘okele guidebook available from the HIFICU.com website each quarter. Each guidebook is free and available to the community. Ho‘okele sections 1.1 and 1.2 are now available, so get your house in order and download your copy today. What important memory will you document in your Ho‘okele guidebook?
For more information about the “Get Your House in Order” campaign, email GYHO@hificu.com. Also, tune in to KITV at 7 p.m. every Saturday to watch Yunji de Nies talk with local experts on how to get your house in order.
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