What began as a few local boys playing music together evolved into a foundation for the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture. The Malie Foundation (pronounced “mah lee eh”) will host its 24th Annual Mokihana Festival beginning Sunday with six days of
What began as a few local boys playing music together evolved into a foundation for the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture. The Malie Foundation (pronounced “mah lee eh”) will host its 24th Annual Mokihana Festival beginning Sunday with six days of hula, music and talk story to honor Hawaiian culture and values.
The morning Nathan Kalama conceived of the name “Malie” he could not have imagined the vision it would shoulder for Kaua‘i.
“In 1981 Carol Burnett’s agent heard our band play,” Kalama said. “He asked our name because he wanted to bring Carol to hear us the next night, but we didn’t have one.”
Seeking inspiration, the following day Kalama went to Lydgate to sit on the beach.
“I noticed my heartbeat was the same rhythm as the waves hitting the shore and the word ‘Malie’ came to me n it means ‘calm, peaceful.’”
The name Kalama’s three-piece band took that day started as a mantra of sorts for these three divergent personalities.
“We each had different visions,” he said. “Larry Kelii Duhaylongsod loved to sing hapa-haole songs. James Ekolu Panui was the rock and roller with a personality to match. And I like the traditional songs — slow-kine songs.”
When the three would come to odds they’d lean into “malie” as a reminder to become calm and peaceful. Then the word rose to its next incarnation beyond the name of a band.
“The three of us could understand some Hawaiian, but couldn’t speak the language,” Kalama said. “We started a scholarship fund to send children to the Hawaiian language pre-school to learn on our behalf.”
Thus was born the Malie scholarship. Some 24 years later and the scholarship has grown to include not only monies for learning Hawaiian language but also funds that provide for cultural school projects.
“And for the first time this year we fund students of Kaua‘i Community College,” Kalama said. “You don’t have to be Hawaiian to apply, just a student at the school.”
Nearly a quarter century later and “malie” has risen to the stature of a foundation.
“Malie has been perpetuated in other ways,” Kalama added. “It started as the name of our band, then we started a composer’s contest in 1984 and 24 years later it became the name of our foundation.”
But that is not the end of the word’s evolution. In 2002 Kalama received a call from his sister on O‘ahu. Through a series of serendipitous events, lost property of their great grandmother’s estate had been recovered.
“My sister told me to come — that I had to see this koa furniture,” he said. “When I sat in the chair she showed me my great grandmother’s obituary.”
Kalama had always heard his great grandmother referred to as Mary, but Mary was her middle name.
“She showed me her obituary and her name was Malie Mary,” Kalama said. “I cried right there in that chair.”
For close to 20 years Kalama had been chanting his great grandmother’s name as a way to unify his musicians and perpetuate Hawaiian culture and language.
“‘Be malie,’ is what we used to say to each other when things got out of hand,” he said.
“Malie was something to work on together — to be calm within our spirits.”
Mokihana Festival’s theme this year is in keeping with the foundation’s namesake, a dedication to the island’s kupuna.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort Orchid Room three Kaua‘i born kupuna will talk story with Kalama in an informal interview that will be videotaped for oral history.
“To honor them is part of our culture,” he said. “They are the caretakers of the grandchildren.”
The foundation will continue to celebrate the kupuna theme with a lu‘au Nov. 16.
This week’s festival filled with dance, song and talk story begins at 10 a.m. Sunday at Kapa‘a First Hawaiian Church and continues through Sept. 27 with the grand finale solo hula competition at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall. For the full schedule and details see insert.
For more information contact kmfkauai@hawaii.rr.com or 822-2166.
Mokihana Festival schedule
Sunday: Opening ceremony, 10 a.m. at Kapa‘a First Hawaiian Church, music and refreshments; Instrumental Competition (guitar and ukulele) 6 p.m. at Po‘ipu Bay Bar and Grill, Grand Hyatt Kauai, $15 per ticket. Contact Stella at 742-1234 for this event only.
Monday: Kaua‘i Composers Contest and Concert where participants share musical creations, 7 p.m. at Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center, $15 advance / $20 at door
Tuesday: “Eo, E Lili‘u” Children’s Music Competition where students in Hawaiian immersion programs compete by grades with songs to King Kalakaua, 9 a.m. at KCC PAC, free admission; “Under the Palms at Maka’iwa,” 6 p.m. at ResortQuest at Maka’iwa Kaua’i Beach Luau Tent, $12 donation supports Malie Scholarship
Wednesday: “Kupuna Talk Story” workshop hosted by Nathan Kalama, 7 p.m. at the Hilton Kaua‘i Beach Resort Orchid Room
Thursday: Hula Competition: Solo/Group Kahiko Nei, 6 p.m. at Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall, $15 in advance / $20 at door
Friday: Hula Competition: Group ‘Auana, 6 p.m. Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall, $15 in advance / $20 at door. Kaua‘i’s Aloha Festival’s Royal Court will attend in full regalia with a ceremonial entrance.
Saturday: Hula Competition: Solo ‘Auana and finale, noon at the Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall, admission: $15 in advance / $20 at door
• Tickets available at these outlets: Hanalei Music Strings n Things; Vicky’s Fabrics in Kapa‘a; Scotty’s Music in Kalaheo and Island Soap and Candle Works in Koloa.
