E Koʻolau Ke Kō a Keauhou With the reawakening of an ʻōiwi consciousness in the late 1970’s, kānaka began to rediscover the frontiers of their kūpuna. ʻĀina inspired us. Hula moved us. Mele made us sing. Even the practice of traditional navigation brought our waʻa, and the pride of our lāhui, across the largest frontier - the ocean - to return us to our ʻāina kūpuna. Meanwhile, in the uplands of Keauhou, Hawaiʻi, one of the last koa trees suitable for traditional waʻa-building fell to its destiny. This ancient tree soon became “Makani Hou o Keauhou,” a modern symbol of maoli ingenuity. This waʻa, and that for which she stands, inspired the name of the group, “Keauhou,” translated as, “The New Generation,” or “The New Current.” We now find ourselves in a waʻa of our own. Like our predecessors of a few decades past, we strive to explore the frontiers of our kūpuna. This frontier, however, allows us to traverse the intellectual seas of mele, the poetic/musical expression of Hawaiian language and knowledge. This collection of mele, while striving to promote a renewed aesthetic of Hawaiian music, represents time. As old stories are retold by new voices, they find new meaning. As these voices tell their own stories, they also retell those of the past. This cycle, created by mele, is illustrated in the songs presented here. With mele as our waʻa, we traverse time and space, reconnecting them in the process, and binding us to the very essence of our people. We board this waʻa for such a destination. However, our journey begins here and now. With the first synchronized stroke of our paddles, we hope the winds of our past, of our kūpuna, fill our sails. As we look to our navigators, our kumu, for direction, we hope a new but familiar current, ke au hou, guides us into the horizon. E kau ka peʻa, e holo ka waʻa. E koʻolau ke kō a Keauhou.