1. Music of Hawaii

2. “The Aloha State”
Roughly 1,500 years ago, Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands first set foot on Hawaii Island.
They used the stars to guide them over 2,000 miles by canoe to migrate to the Islands.
500 years after that, settlers from Tahiti arrived and brought their beliefs in gods and demi-gods.
Over the years, the Islands began to expand and flourish.

3. Early Hawaiian Music
Chants, called Mele, helped the Hawaiian’s remember thousands of years of ancient Polynesian and Hawaiian history.
Mele is split up in to two categories; Mele Oli and Mele Hula.
Mele Oli is an unaccompanied chant that is performed at ritual occasions.
Mele Hula is accompanied by dance moves alone or by dance movements with musical instruments.

4. The Ukulele
Contrary to popular belief, the ukulele did not originate in Hawaii. It was brought to Hawaii by the Portuguese.
Ukulele, in Hawaiian, means “jumping flea”.
It is a small version of a guitar and only has four strings.

5. Ka’eke’eke This is an instrument that’s made out of bamboo.
They’re shape is like a tube and they vary in length. One end of the tube is usually open and the other end is closed.
You play it by holding it vertically and tapping the closed end on the ground.

6. ‘Ili’ili ‘Ili’ili are river rocks that hula dancers hold in each hand.
The hula dancers hold two in each hand and strike them together to play.
These are equivalent to castanets.

7. ‘Uli’uli
‘Uli’uli is an instrument made out of a gourd filled with small shells, seeds, or pebbles.
A stick is attached to the bottom of the gourd with a small weight on the other end of the stick. This way, it’s easier to shake.
These are used by hula dancers.

8. Conch Shell This is a conch shell that people would use has a trumpet.
This is used for getting attention or for starting ritual ceremonies.

9. Hano A Hano is a flute made out of bamboo.
To play this instrument, you have to hold it up to your nose and blow air out of your nose.
It’s also known has, the nose flute.

10. Puniu
A Puniu is a small drum that is sometimes made from the shell of a large coconut.
To be played, it can either rest on the ground or be tied to the thigh of the performer and is struck by a Ka.

11. Pahu Hula The Pahu Hula is a drum that you strike with your hands.
To play it, you sit on the ground in front or beside the drum and hit it with your hands to make a beat.

12. Questions! Who brought the ukulele to the Hawaiian Islands?
What are the two categories of Mele dances?
What was your favorite instrument from today?

13. Resources
hawaii/music/article/smithsonian
guide.info/arts.and.entertainment/musical.instruments/