CHINKY MAHOE -
Kalapawai Ku'u One Hanau - Kalapawai My Birthplace

Hula is a vital component of Hawaiian culture, it has grown in popularity as hundreds of halau (hula schools) have been established in Hawai'i, Japan, Mexico, Europe, and in cities across the country. New songs and chants added to the body of work enrich the art form.

Chinky Mahoe, one of the leading kumu hula (hula teacher) in Hawai'i, is universally recognized for his choreographic creativity and for his many compositions for hula. Mahoe's Halau Hula O Kawaili'ula, considered one of the top halau, has won numerous awards at the major hula competitions over the years, including several top prizes at the world renowned Merrie Monarch Festival. The songs and chants in this collection, those used in competition, have all generated award-winning performances for Kawaili'ula.

Kalapawai, the area that fronts the famous Kailua Beach on O'ahu, is the ancestral home of Chinky Mahoe. Kalapawai has been a source of strength for Mahoe and the inspiration for many of the songs and chants he has written over the years. "Kalapawai Ku'u Home Aloha" and "Ka Nani A'o Lanihuli," speak of Kalapawai and Kailua sites. "Mika Lawai'a" about fishing is dedicated to his grandfather who often fished with nets off Kailua Beach.

Many of Mahoe's compositions are fun upbeat numbers that engage his dancers, entertain the audience and have rendered winning performances in competition. "Mea Pa'ani Kinipopo" about football, volleyball, soccer, and basketball won the top prize for the young men at the Keiki Hula Competition in 1995.

"I Mili 'Ia Ku'u Lei Pakalana" celebrates a favorite flower, "Pi'ikake Mine" and "Ka Nani A'o Lanihuli" were written as gifts to loved ones. Other selections like "Aloha No Kanaloa," "He Mele No Kaho'olawe," and "He Mele No Kanaloa" were written for and performed on the sacred island of Kaho'olawe.

Also included in this album are songs that are popular standards in the hula repertoire. "Lahela Ku'u Poki'i" is an old song telling of a favorite little sister, and "Nani" the story of young girls growing up to be beautiful women. Hawai'i's King Kamehameha I is honored in the song "Ka Na'i Aupuni," and a ship named Pueo-kahi is celebrated in the song "Na Ka Pueo."

Track Listing

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1. Mika Lawai'a

2. Mea Pa'ani Kinipopo

3. Pikake Mine

4. 'Ohu'ohu O'ahu I Ka La'i

5. Ka Na'i Aupuni

6. Nani

7. Kalapawai Ku'u Home Aloha

8. He Mele No Kaho'olawe

9. Aloha No Kanaloa

10. Na Ka Pueo

11. Lahela Ku'u Poki'i

12. Na Uwe O Na Manu

13. Ka Nani A'o Lanihuli

14. I Mili 'Ia Ku'u Lei Pakalana

15. He Mele No Kanaloa

Halau Hula O Kawaili'ula, led by Chinky Mahoe, is one of the leading hula halau (hula schools) in Hawai'i. Known for its precision and the creativity of its kumu hula (hula teacher), the halau has won numerous awards at major hula competitions. Among their laurels include winning the Men's top distinction at the Merrie Monarch seven times since 1989, and twice winning the coveted Perpetual Trophy.

Over the past two decades since founding the halau Mahoe has traveled widely introducing traditional hula to enthusiastic audiences in Japan, New Zealand, Korea, Okinawa, Canada as well as numerous cities across the US Mainland. Mahoe and his dancers have twice performed in the legendary Carnegie Hall. He has also held many workshops to instruct Mainland, Japanese and Canadian kumu hula in efforts to promote the art form.

Mahoe began dancing hula as a young man, and later he danced with kumu hula Darrell Lupunui in his groundbreaking halau Waimapuna. Waimapuna's high-energy style caught the imagination of the hula world at the time, increasing the ranks of male dancers. Mahoe's halau continues and builds on many of Waimapuna's traditions.

Many of the songs and chants have been used in competition and have all generated award-winning performances for Kawaili'ula. This has been gratifying for Mahoe, who says the challenge in writing songs and chants comes in balancing the 'olelo (language) and the correct hula steps, with his own creativity or his sense of fun. "I want my serious efforts to be true to the subject, the 'olelo right and the steps proper. But my goal in my playful hula is first to make it fun for my dancers, then to entertain the audience. We always try to do different things," said Mahoe.

Over the years the hula world has come to expect creative surprises from Chinky Mahoe and Halau Hula O Kawaili'ula.

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