Ka MA¯la Pulapula
Recognition
G Musical youth rising
Follow us:
By Joe Ku¯hio¯ Lewis OHA Youth Coordinator
T
his month we are honored to recognize three outstanding and vibrant young ‘öpio. These talented siblings: Timi, Emily and Quinn Abrigo, devote themselves to sharing and preserving Hawaiian music and culture. The trio, who live in Waialua, O‘ahu, are all-around musical talents, versed in kï hö‘alu (slack key guitar), leo ki‘eki‘e (falsetto), ‘ukulele, pakini bass and Hawaiian steel guitar. Asked who inspires them, they credit the greats of Hawaiian music: Genoa Keawe, Ronald Kanahele, Gabby Pahinui, Dennis Pavao, Lena Machado, Myra English and Sonny Chillingworth, to name a few. Timi Abrigo, 16, is emerging as an accomplished kï hö‘alu and Hawaiian steel guitarist. In his spare time, Timi offers weekly ‘ukulele, kï hö‘alu and kika kila (steel guitar) classes. He only asks for donations, which sometimes come in the form of a papaya. In addition to community service, Timi is a waterman at heart. “I love everything that has to do
/enaopio
with the ocean,” he said. “Fishing, diving, throwing net.” Emily Abrigo at age 13 is an amazing leo ki‘eki‘e singer and thrives on the ‘ukulele. “I love to see the smile on people’s faces when I sing,” she said. “Sometimes the küpuna smile so much they cry. That’s when I know I did a good job.” Quinn Abrigo, at age 9, is the youngest of the group and is already taking command of the rhythm with the pakini bass. A bit of a rascal, Quinn says, referring to slack key guitar master Ledward Kaapana, “When Uncle Led tells me I did good, that’s motivation to learn a new song. The tips are good too.” Duke Domingo, a supporter and fan of the Abrigo ‘Ohana says: “What amazes me is not only their talent, but their desire to perpetuate traditional Hawaiian music. It’s refreshing to see youth passionate about music.” The Abrigo ‘Ohana performs at Waimea Valley and countless other venues, festivals and fundraising events to support the community, all free of charge. “They are very giving and have lots of aloha,” explains Derek Higa, another fan. “We always intend to play music because we love it so much, and we do that together as a family, which makes it even better,” said Timi. “We want to take our kanikapila around the world so all Hawaiians can come back to their
Know the issue: NATIVE HAWAIIAN TUITION WAIVERS most have not completed their undergraduate degrees. Former University of Hawai‘i Native Hawaiian student Melissa Tupa explained that Native Hawaiians represent the host culture. “The indigenous people, stewards of our ‘äina, need to be educated and prepared to carry us into the 21st century.” She went on to say, “Worry about paying for college should not be a barrier for Native Hawaiian students, it should be considered an investment in our future.” The low numbers of Native Hawaiians with college and professional degrees affects the ability of Hawai‘i’s indigenous people to participate in the state’s higher education system as professors, deans, administrators and policymakers. At UH-Mänoa, only 4 percent of all faculty positions are held by Native Hawaiians and less than 1 percent are permanent (tenured) hires. To improve these statistics, OHA continues to push for legislation that would require the University of Hawai‘i to provide tuition waivers for all Native Hawaiian students enrolled in any of the 10 UH campuses. In addition to legislative and advocacy efforts, OHA is committed to youth outreach in order to inform and encourage participation from you, our present and future. We encourage you to help our advocacy efforts by signing up for action alerts. For more information on our action alerts, visit www.oha.org/leg or email me at josephl@oha.org. —Joe Kühiö Lewis
Now available in food stores on all major islands.
Windward Community College on O‘ahu is part of the 10-campus University of Hawai‘i system.- Photo: Courtesy of UH
F
Kepakemapa2011
youth corner
or more than a decade, full tuition waivers have been sought for Native Hawaiian students attending the University of Hawai‘i. What does this mean and why is this important? To start let’s take a look at some statistics. Native Hawaiians represent about 26 percent of the state population but account for only 14 percent of the total UH student population. Native Hawaiians have the lowest college graduation rates of all ethnic groups in the state of Hawai‘i. More than 80 percent of the UH system’s non-Hawaiian students return for a second year of college but the percentage of Native Hawaiian students returning is 10 percent lower. Nationwide, more Native Hawaiians have dropped out of college than have earned a degree. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, even though 25 percent of all Native Hawaiians have earned some college credits,
Emily, Quinn and Timi, collectively known as the Abrigo ‘Ohana, help bridge cultures through Hawaiian music. - Courtesy photo
roots in music. We also want to bridge cultures through kanikapila. We want our music to bring everyone together.” These talented ‘öpio face the future with the hope of perpetuating the music their ancestors left behind for them. In recognition of our youth who make a positive difference in our community, each month we will be featuring outstanding youth. If you would like to nominate a youth to be featured, please call (808) 594-1811.
m l Fro tiona your di o e. tra ai‘i t tabl w r ha inne d
Taro Chunks
Fre s h s te a m e d i s l a n d ka l o No GMO, food coloring, or preservatives
Taro Bean Salad Recipe 1 container Makaweli Taro Chunks 1 large tomato 16 oz. cooked garbanzo, kidney &/or other beans
Cut Taro Chunks and tomato into bite size pieces. Mix with beans and serve. For a twist, add your favorite vinaigrette dressing.
Find us at Big Save Supermarkets, Ishihara Market, Sueoka Store, Kojima Store, KTA, Ko¯kua Market, Down to Earth, Fresh Catch, Ching’s Punalu‘u, JJ’s Seafood, and select Foodland, Sack N Save, and Times
Makaweli Poi Mill | 808 338-1199
9