Hāwane Rios Shares Her Soul’s Purpose

By Ma‘ata Tukuafu

The first time Hāwane Rios fully comprehended a legend told in the Hawaiian language, it touched her so deeply that she wrote a song to remember it. It is the love story between Poli‘ahu (goddess of the snow) and Kukahau‘ula (a god personifying the male force in the form of the rising sun), whose meeting caused Poli‘ahuʻs heart to melt, resulting in the snowmelt which formed streams and springs, providing life to the people. “When I wrote the song, it sounded to me like their love,” Hāwane says, “and when I sing the song, I remember what that story means to me.” Hāwane Rios, who grew up in Waimea, began writing songs at the age of 20 while studying Hawaiian language in college. In her second year of classes she felt a calling to write music in Hawaiian rather than in English. She says she woke up one day with a feeling in her chest that signaled a song was coming. “I heard this voice saying, ‘Pick up the ‘ukulele and learn it,’ and I felt the need to go inward, to create a bunch of songs,” says Hāwane. After releasing a number of singles, she became a kia‘i, a protector for Mauna Kea, which took much of her time and energy. Now, 12 years later, she has rewritten many of her earlier songs and Hāwane’s album Kū Kia‘i Mauna—Together We Rise (Religious Records A&C), features both Hawaiian and English songs. The album was nominated three times in the 43rd Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards: Female Vocalist of the Year, Most Promising Artist of the Year, and Contemporary Album of the Year. The awards aired on October 10, 2020, with Hāwane winning for Contemporary Album of the Year. In the Female Vocalist category, Hāwane was named alongside Amy Hānaiali‘i, one of Hāwane’s musical inspirations when she was growing up. “I feel so deeply honored being nominated in the same category as Amy Hānaiali‘i,” says Hāwane. “When I was really young, I was watching her at the awards and listening to her powerful voice singing in Hawaiian. When she won, and I heard her speech, I wanted to be like her.”

Still from music video “Like A Mighty Wave,” directed by Mikey Inouye. photo courtesy of Mikey Inouye It took four years for her to complete the full CD, and she has also released a “3D” version of it, which is a mixing technique to give listeners wearing headphones a feeling of being in the room with the musicians. Adding to her recent accomplishments, she was asked to sing with Mark Yamanaka in a prerecorded session for the 2020 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards show, which was broadcast on October 10.

A Community of Creative Musicians

Some of the best experiences Hāwane has had creating music are working with other musicians and hearing her songs come together. “I love hearing Uncle Sonny [Lim] play his interpretation of my songs, and then the bass player fits her bass to his guitar,” says Hāwane. “It’s like a recipe, it brings in everybody’s energy and talent with their own connection to my song, and we are a community in creating music.” Growing up, Hāwane was a dancer, and now it brings her great pleasure to watch others dance to her songs. She is quick to say that she is still learning, and is not the best musician. She has much respect for those who spend their lives honing their music. Much of Hāwane’s inspiration has come from musicians like the Keli‘iho‘omalu family from Kalapana, Lorna Lim, Kainani Kahaunaele, Genoa Keawe, India Arie, and Maisey Rika, among many others. The peoples of Oceania have also inspired and shaped her music, “because they read, speak and sing in both English and in their own languages,” she shares.

Inspiration

Hāwane’s creative flow depends on what she is thinking about. Because English is her first language, sheʻll write out the words quickly, as they come to her, and then the melody will come. She sits with her guitar or ‘ukulele and records herself playing the song. Sheʻll often go back and edit it, adding Hawaiian lyrics. “I feel in my body and soul, the Hawaiian words that make me feel warm. I get this beautiful, ‘ono feeling, like a really good bite of texture and flavor,” says Hāwane. “I’ll start with

the words, and then I’ll hear a melody that makes me feel like eating dessert Together We Rise By Hāwane Rios the sky, the sky realm, the heavenly realm. The second verse is about giving birth and that’s how I know that Words of the wise echo in my soul And we’ll keep singing to the ocean realm. The this is the one.” Whispering aloha is a firm Ho‘okahi ka umauma third verse, to the land In one of her original commitment to pono Ho‘okahi pu‘uwai realm. It’s a reminder that songs, “Mana Wahine”, And we’ll keep singing Together we rise we descend from these meaning empowered Ho‘okahi ka umauma Together we rise great powers that is in all women, Hāwane says, Ho‘okahi pu‘uwai E ala ē that we see, and all that we “I wrote this song after Together we rise E ala ho‘i are. And to not forget this spending some very Together we rise truth, and to know it deeply. heartfelt and womb- E ala ē Chorus This is my way of saying, ‘I felt time with one of my E ala ho‘i see you.ʻ We’re singing into beloved sisters, Ngahuia Chant – Kualena ka hei kapu all the wounds of the earth Murphy from Aotearoa. Chorus and of women, and lifting Her work is so powerful And we’ll keep chanting Bridge us and praying us to Light and is centered around the Kū kia‘i Hale Makua and back to a space of real liberation of the womb and Kū kia‘i mauna Hale Makua Mana within us because the liberation of our blood Kū kia‘i Hale Makua that is who we are. And so, ties as women. I just felt Kū kia‘i mauna Hale Makua I dedicate this song to the this calling within me to E kū, e kū, e kū, e kū many generations before write about the strength of Chorus and the many generations women and how, from us, Linked arm in arm, one in mind, that will come after. May from this feminine energy, light in heart Ho‘okahi ka umauma we know that we are mana comes all life. It’s really an Remembering we’re stronger Ho‘okahi pu‘uwai wahine.” ode to the goddesses, that united than apart Together we rise Another musical influence creative energy that we was Hāwane’s biological come from and a dedication father, who passed away to the long lineage of women that we descend from. Every earlier this year. Although she didn’t know him, she found out single verse gives honor to this incredible energy that has the that he played ‘ukulele and loved to sing. He was from the power to give life. The first verse talks about giving birth to Chamorro people, and she says their women never stopped

HAWAII LICENSE: HI-C33579 FULLY BONDED AND INSURED VPELECTRICLLC. COM -l.ECTRICLLC 'Electrical Installation and Service

Historic Kainaliu, Kona’s original shopping village. Located 5 miles south of Kailua-Kona.

Immersive binaural version of Häwane’s album, released on August 27, 2020. photo courtesy of Shawn Pila & Religion Records

singing. That legacy of music lives through her.

The Business of Music

One of the least favorite parts of working in the music business for Hāwane is not being able to sustain herself financially solely from her music. She expresses that the music industry has been a competitive, male-dominated business and her goal is to continue to advocate for equality in pay, in opportunities, and representation. She believes all musicians should be supported, loved, and cared for as they work every day at their craft bettering themselves and the art they produce. “I worked four years on a project, and it’s made available to the public for one dollar per song. We get cents on the dollar when we finally get paid,” says Hāwane. “Music is healing and unifying. I donʻt know many people who go throughout their days without listening to music. So how come we have to work

Häwane in traditional regalia at Puÿuhuluhulu, Mauna Kea. photo courtesy of Kapulei Flores

Häwane recording in Oregon. photo courtesy of Häwane Rios

9-to-5 jobs to pay our bills and then find extra time for our true passions? Musicians, artists, and creatives don’t even have basic health insurance. I want to create a new way. I want people to know this can be a career you can be sustained by.” Hāwane feels it is her responsibility to continue the oral legacy that people have passed down through song and chant, and trusts that this is her soul’s purpose. She hopes to honor her family lineage, and Mauna Kea, and wants her music to gather people when she is “long gone.” She adds that when people honor themselves, the land, and community, it creates a more healed and unified world for the next generation to enter into. “I believe we need to write about this time so the next generations will know through all our arts, how we lived during these times, what we stood for, and how we changed things.” ■

For more information: hawanerios.com

DO NOT BE AFRAID OF CHANGE... BE AFRAID OF NOT CHANGING! Now is the time to move past our fear into our personal power!

Live sessions available in person or online anywhere in the world. Start with a one hour complimentary consultation. Offering sliding scale

Spiritpath Transformational Healing Liz Randol, facilitator • 505-204-0452 Spiritpath-Healing.com

Featured Cover Arist: Linda Rowell Stevens

Linda Rowell Stevens moved to Hawai‘i in 1978, at age 21. She began her art career as an artist doll maker, selling her dolls in galleries. Her dolls were award-winning—even shown in a Los Angeles museum. Since then, Linda has had several one-woman shows featuring her various mediums, including fused glass, jewelry, fashion design, watercolor painting, oils, acrylics, and her dolls. Linda had a life-changing experience in the 1990s when she was inspired to create a doll the likeness of King David Kalākaua. To make the doll a true representation, she began to research the king, which led her to read the book he wrote and published in 1887, The Legends and Myths of Hawai‘i. The book so inspired Linda, she began to depict the stories she read, turning her talents to oil painting. Her only painting training had been a book entitled Painting Techniques of the Masters, which had been given to her as a gift. In 2003, Volcano Art Center held a competition called Visions of Pele. Lindaʻs art was among the top entries in this competition and exhibit. Her image of Pele is still part of the permanent display at the Visitors Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Linda’s rendition of Pele is widely recognized and is used on banners during Merrie Monarch. Linda also illustrated a book, written by Victor C. Pellegrino, called Uncle Kaiwaiola’s Dream, about wetland kalo (taro). This experience was a highlight, as she bonded with the family portrayed in the book while at their kalo farm on Maui. Linda uses no models or photographs in her paintings. Instead, she sees an image in her mind and attempts to bring forth what she wishes to convey. Such is the case with Mele Kalikimaka on our cover, a scene Linda felt shows the family spirit so prevalent in Hawai‘i. In it, a family gathers around a table with the sights and sounds that enrich their souls; not the trappings of consumerism, but rather music and

togetherness to light the season, and thereʻs Santa coming through the door! Linda was born in Utah, with years spent in Connecticut and Virginia. She attended college at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has one son, Nahele Kanoa Hillery, who was born in 1978. She married her second husband, Larry E. Stevens, in 1987. Linda and Larryʻs home is in Leilani Estates, in an area missed by the 2018 lava flow. They share their home with their beloved cat, Kalele. Linda spends most of her time in her painting studio, which is surrounded by what was once rainforest, now laid bare due to Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death. Despite that and the nearby lava flow, their home is still miraculously surrounded by greenery. Linda says, “It is not the myths and legends alone that inspire my oil paintings. It is the ‘āina, the land—it is from living here most of my life. This Hawaiian land is at the core of my soul. It is the love that has greeted me through the eyes of the people who live here. It is the hope for their heritage, the reverence for their past. I want my work to say, ‘Don’t let it slip away.ʻ May there forever be proud people who believe in who they really are. If in any way I can show how they shine through my work, then I am content.”

For more information: lindarowellstevens.com

Table Of Contents Artist: Barbara Hanson

Barbara Hansonʻs Art Gallery & Studio is located in historic and artistic Hōlualoa Village, overlooking the Kona coast. On any given day you can see Barbara working her magic with colors of polymer clay. Self taught, she blends and combines colors into canes, in which patterns run throughout. With 35 years of experience refining this unique method of layering the patterned elements, her vibrant 3D art comes alive. Each piece is truly one of a kind. Barbaraʻs inspiration ones from the beauty of the islands, Hawaiian culture, and the love of her ‘ohana. Call for an appointment or class!