LIHUE — Missouri has the fiddle, Texas the guitar and Kentucky the Appalachian dulcimer. And if the idea strikes a chord with Hawaii senators, the Aloha State will soon have its own official state instrument — the ukulele. “I think
LIHUE — Missouri has the fiddle, Texas the guitar and Kentucky the Appalachian dulcimer. And if the idea strikes a chord with Hawaii senators, the Aloha State will soon have its own official state instrument — the ukulele.
“I think that it’s cool. I back it 100 percent,” Raymond Rapozo, owner of Island Ukulele in Kealia, said of the idea. “It’s about time, actually.”
Rapozo has been playing the instrument his entire life and manufacturing custom wood ukuleles for the last 20 years. He said making the ukulele official simply “makes sense” and will help protect it as a part of Hawaii’s culture.
Sam Bonanno, a 25-year musician and owner of Kamoa Ukulele Company in Kapaa, joked it is surprising to learn the ukulele hasn’t already earned official status.
“I think the world already thinks the ukulele is the state instrument of Hawaii,” he said. “It’s a fun instrument and it really represents the aloha spirit that the state is world renowned for.”
On Wednesday, Mukilteo, Wash., resident Ryan Jahn could be spotted checking out ukuleles at Kamoa Ukulele Company. He said he not only enjoys their portability, but their soothing sound.
“People will come up to you and it’s like they can feel that energy,” he said. “The music is so relaxing. When you hear it, it almost brings your heart back into balance a bit. We live in a technical world where you’re working and have to worry about bills, but when you hear music from the heart, it kind of brings you back to the islands.”
House Bill 2573 was introduced by Kauai Rep. Jimmy Tokioka, D-Koloa-Wailua, and passed with overwhelming support on the House floor Tuesday. It now heads to the Senate.
Tokioka said the idea was brought to him two years ago by students from Chiefess Kamakahelei and Kapaa Middle School. Instead of immediately introducing legislation, however, he decided to do his homework first.
“I wanted to make sure people in the Hawaiian community were OK with it,” he said. “I think the majority of people have been in strong support.”
In case others do disagree, the bill has been written in a way that allows for other instruments to also become official state instruments. If passed, the bill would establish and designate the ukulele as “the official musical string instrument of the state.”
The ipu, for example, a common hula percussion instrument, could still be an official instrument in a separate category, Tokioka pointed out.
Local ukulele player Aldrine Guerrero said he welcomes the official recognition, despite the fact that it is not originally from Hawaii.
“(The ukulele) has brought worldwide recognition to Hawaii, as a Hawaiian related instrument,” he said. “And it’s brought Hawaiian music everywhere.”
Originally from Portugal, the ukulele was popularized by Hawaiian royalty, plantation workers and musicians, states Tokioka’s bill. The first recorded sighting of an ukulele can be traced back to 1886, when Honolulu newspaper editor Augustus Marques discussed it in an article on music in Hawaii.
Guerrero began playing in fourth grade and has managed to make a career out of his passion. And he believes now is the perfect time for anyone, young or old, to pick up one of the cheap, fun and easy-to-learn instruments.
“I think it’s innocent, that’s the best way I can describe it,” he said of the ukulele. “It’s small and it’s not intimidating.”
Hawaii has 16 adopted, designated and established symbols — from the state motto, “Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono,” to the Nene, the state bird, and kalo, the state plant.
When it comes to music in Hawaii, the ukulele is king — although not yet officially.
But Tokioka and other legislators are on the brink of changing that.
“The beautiful sound of the ukulele has inspired generations of musicians and fans and has often kindled camaraderie during impromptu jam sessions,” reads the bill. “In recognition of talented ukulele instructors and musicians, past, present, and future, throughout these islands and the world, the legislature honors this truly amazing musical instrument and its history in Hawaii by establishing the ukulele as the official musical string instrument of the State.”
In her written testimony, Kapaa Middle School music director Mary Lardizibal expressed her support.
“We have so many talented and gifted musicians right here in the islands and I feel that by making this Hawaii’s instrument, that it will make our state even more distinguished and unique,” she wrote.
• Chris D’Angelo, environmental reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or cdangelo@thegardenisland.com.
