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December 05, 2006
Poetry Slam master Kealoha Kelekolio was in high spirits on the evening of the MACC Storytelling extravaganza Saturday, Nov. 25. “Usually, when I do a piece, I try and have some kind of symbolic message, topical or social commentary…a mix of local style with hip hop with storytelling with drama with philosophy,” says Kelekolio.
The MIT graduate and Bishop Museum Cultural specialist describes his style as deliberately political. but what he was most eager to experience Saturday evening was the diversity of genres to be featured at McCoy theater – from traditional song and legend, to new age rap, to theatrical comedy.
“I think we’re going to create magic, all of us collectively. I think it’s going to be a roller coaster ride of different genres collecting and colliding and having a good time with it.”
The evening did not disappoint. The McCoy Theater crowd behaved like an intimate gathering of friends and family. Audience members and performers seated together during sets and crowd interaction was encouraged – even demanded – by the artists. Master Storyteller and member of the Bishop Museum Educational Department Tom Cummings began the program with “The Stories in Our Songs.” Accompanied by his ukulele, Cummings described the history of the songs Kanaka Waiwai (Rich Man) and Pupu O ‘Ewa (Pearly Shells) and asked the audience to sing along with him, first in Hawaiian and then in English.
Pidgin Powah
Radio and TV personality Kathy “Tita” Collins took the stage barefoot and wrapped in a sarong, her hair neatly curled in a bun. As she pulled off her wrap and shook her hair out, Collins’ alter-ego Tita emerged. In beach shorts and a tank top with her long hair flowing wildly, Tita commanded the stage in a bold raspy voice she calls “pidgin powah.” She told two tales of the legend Pele in a style that was both dramatic and humorous, engaging the audience with her compelling stage presence.
Alice in Wonderland?
Don’t do drugs.
Kamehameha High School seniors Kai’anui Graham and Kawananakoa Saul provided comic relief with their entertaining take on “All the Great Books.” Graham and Saul are enthusiastic storytellers who have distinguished themselves within the genre at state events. Bounding onstage in matching suits and ties, they launched into a spirited dialogue about classic authors and novels. Graham and Saul summed up several books with one word sentences (Alice in Wonderland? “Don’t Do Drugs”) and the back and forth interaction between the two made for a fun set. Their performance included physical comedy, song, dance and even a rap with vocal beats.
Graham, who is a Dramatic Interpretation State Champion and the grandson of Cummings, held his own when he took the stage solo for a poignant monologue entitled “Scaramouch Jones.” He proved himself capable of an entirely different tone as he portrayed the role of a concentration camp clown who entertains children before they are shot by the Nazis. With powerful dramatic skill, Graham took the audience on a journey of stark imagery and raw human emotion.
I am Hawaiian in the 21st
century: My people are running out of breath
The mood lifted as Kelekolio brought his trademark “Contemporary Slam Poetry” to the theater. His intense storytelling style and quick wit kept the audience on their toes. In his first poem, Kealoha talked about being a child and having recess at school. “Remember the days when we used to play on the playground everyday?” he asked the crowd, commenting on the number of lives stagnating in the monotony of the daily routine. Another piece spoke of the conflict faced by young Hawaiians in modern culture. Kealoha used only theatrical movement and voice to create the image of a man in dialogue with himself. “I am a Hawaiian,” he proclaimed, more as a demand than a statement.
“In the 21st Century,” the same man responded. The struggle continued back and forth, leaving the audience with the haunting conclusion, “my people are running out of breath.” Interestingly, the word “haole” in the Hawaiian language originated as a term for foreigners due to the fact that they refused to perform the ritual of sharing their mana (spirit power) through their breath.
“It’s about all of us:” reviving the spoken word
The evening’s performances highlighted the significance of spoken word as a form of artistic expression and community connection. Tom Cummings explains, “That’s the reason why we’re doing the storytelling, you know hula is important here and it has captured the attention of most of the people here. Storytelling, which was a tradition by Hawaiians and other people, hasn’t gotten the kind of attention and interest that it ought to.”
“You need to begin to suggest to people that this is another art form that they ought to consider as well.”
Poet Kealoha agrees, “Storytelling is critical. We come from an oral tradition living on the islands, so when we talk about values and legends and genealogy - everything that gets passed on - a lot of it happens orally, and storytelling is an extension of that. Sure there’s a stage and a microphone now, but it’s not any different from what used to be done back in the day,” he adds.
“We come from a time where we’re watching movies and plays, everything is sort of laid out for you,” says Kelekolio.
“Visually, you can watch it and sort of be passive about it. The difference with storytelling is there’s a lot more imagination. As an audience member, you have to be actively engaged in order to get what’s going on.”
It wasn’t always that way, explains Cummings.
“We were doing it when we came out of the caves. People were telling stories from the first day they uttered the sounds that communicated with each other. So, you know, it’s about Hawaiians, but it’s about all of us.”
Tina Lia
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