About Our Album We title our CD project “Na Nä Pua Lei A Pauahi,” by the descendants or children of Pauahi. The cover is a blend of old and new. The piano pictured gave Princess Pauahi hours of enjoyment as she was an accomplished pianist. The instrument remains in the Heritage Center here on our Kapälama Campus. This blends with the new, Pauahi’s children, our present choir members. The lei draped on the piano is of maile, ‘ilima and rose buds. The maile symbolizes royalty, the ‘ilima, O‘ahu’s flower and rose buds, our children. Pauahi loved the rose above all blossoms. Our children proudly wear uniforms adorned with designs of these flowers. Notes about some of our songs: Remember Who We Are This song was written for the finale of the 2009 KES 5th grade musical entitled “E Nänä Käkou I Ka Wä Mamua”. This piece was inspired by the children’s story, “When Silver Needles Swam,” written by James Rumford. Hawaiians mourned the day Hawaii was annexed to the United States and the Hawaiian flag was lowered. But in our musical, Tütü turned this day into a day of unity and pride. She guided her community in the creation of a Hawaiian Flag quilt, during which the number of silver quilting needles were so plentiful, they seemed to swim through the fabric like the ihe (eel). We credit King David Kaläkaua for penning the lyrics, “Remember who you are. Be gracious, but never forget whence you came, for this is where your heart is. This is the cradle of life.” We Send This Aloha, To You On February 9, 2001, the Japanese training vessel, the Ehime Maru, based in Uwajima, Japan, was sunk when it collided with the American submarine, the USS Granville. The tragedy took the lives of 9 people aboard the Japanese vessel – students, teachers and crewmen. I picked up the morning paper the following day and was moved to tears when I saw a picture of grieving classmates, friends of those who had perished in the waters off our islands. The accompanying article expressed their devastation and deep depression. It was then I made up my mind to proceed on a mission to ease the pain of those grieving. We needed to go to Uwajima with a message of aloha and condolence, a gesture of goodwill. The project seemed insurmountable at first as Uwajima lay in a path less traveled. The closest city was Hiroshima, but to get to our destination, we needed to board a ferry and continue on with a two-hour trip by bus. The Japanese Consulate General was less than helpful and offered very little support. He told us the situation was tenuous, that we may not be well received and therefore offered little support. The mission seemed doomed, but I had to persevere. I decided to write a song of aloha and dedicate it to the families of those lost at sea, to be sung here in Hawaii and in Japan, however close we could get to Uwajima. On March 10, 2001, we held a promotional concert for our newly released children’s choir CD at the grand opening of Duty Free Galleria in Waikiki. It was then we decided to debut our song, “We Send Our Aloha To You,” written for the families who suffered great loss. The success of this concert led to another concert on our own campus for those very families. Needless to say, heartfelt emotions ran deep as tears flowed from all who witnessed our performance. Our own students were also deeply moved, as were many KSCC staff, parents and family members of the choir. A special bond was created between two very different schools with very different cultures and from very distant lands. We decided we would “go for it” and approach corporate sponsors to fund the Uwajima portion of the trip. Oz Stender helped by sending out letters to different businesses and corporations. The Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau eventually agreed to help if we could perform at some receptions for them in Tokyo and Osaka, and if the delegation of Mayors and the Governor could join us in Uwajima. On June 7, 2001 the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus had the privilege of performing for the students and families of the Uwajima Fisheries High School in Uwajima, Japan. Included in the concert was this song written for them. Aloha My Kupuna This song was especially composed for the küpuna that we visit annually at Lunalilo Home. We sang it as our parting farewell at the end of every concert there. The Ground Zero In All Of Us The inspiration for this song was a video of the 6th anniversary of the events that transpired soon after 9/11. Found in the wreckage was a piece of steel resembling a cross. It was displayed at the Ground Zero site, thus making it hallowed ground. People in their hurt and loss turned to the cross and God in their time of need. We all in some ways have some kind of hurt, some kind of Ground Zero deep within all of us. Ka Na‘i Aupuni This song honors the great chiefs of the islands. Keawe of Hawai‘i, Pi‘ilani who ruled the Hono bays of Maui; Käkuhihewa, chief of O‘ahu; and Manokalanipö, king of Kaua‘i. The words are attributed to Kamehameha Nui on his death bed, as he counseled the chiefs surrounding him. They all agreed that only righteousness would preserve the nation of Hawai‘i. Believing In Me This song was composed for and dedicated to Principal Kahele Kukea upon his retirement from Kamehameha Elementary in June 2004. May Your Faith Never Die This song was written on the morning of September 11, 2001, after receiving three parcels of tsuru (folded paper cranes) from the city of Hiroshima. This was clearly a gesture of peace and goodwill as we had traveled to that city in June, 2001, to perform for their citizens. Ironically, those parcels arrived on the very morning our buildings, our cities and even our loved ones were the victims of terrorists. What they failed to destroy, was our faith. We will never forget the honor it was to sing this song at Ground Zero and at the New York Fire Department’s Headquarters in June 2005. Hallelujah Chorus The Hallelujah Chorus has become one of our signature pieces. We traditionally close our annual spring concert with this particular choir arrangement.