| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
 Posted - 04/19/2007 : 3:45:08 PM
|
Naming music in honor of people is a not that uncommon tradition. In Irish traditional music the term "planxty" followed by a person's name carries this connotation. In Hawaiian, is the following a suitable equivalent? Thanks for any input in this tune naming query:
"In honor of" or "to honor" translated as:
"Ho'ohanohano Mohai a (person's name)"
which I think is literally:
"Honor Offering to (person's name)".
|
Thank you. |
|
|
islandboo
Lokahi
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2007 : 4:32:36 PM
|
I don't actually know the answer to your question, but I have observed that mele that honor a thing are frequently just "Hanohano X" - huapala.org lists "Hanohano Hanalei", "Hanohano Kaua'i", "Hanohano No 'O Hawai'i", "Hanohano Olinda" and "Hanohano Paliuli I Ka Ua Noe" - of course, those do seem to be all place names, not people. In chant, the dedication follows the body of the chant, as in "He inoa no 'Emalani" ("a name song for Emmalani") in "Nani Wale Ku'u 'Ike"
Hopefully someone more akamai will chime in and correct me if I am wrong. |
 |
|
|
Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2007 : 04:14:40 AM
|
I've heard "He Mele No ------," which means "A Song For/About ------," used for a song dedicated to, about, honoring, someone. The phrase "He inoa no ----" that islandboo mentioned above is sometimes used for songs as well for chants, but in my experience it is always connected to a piece that has words, whereas the word "mele" has broader meaning in this era and includes instrumental music. I may be wrong but my understanding is also that in that phrase, the word "mele" is understood: that the totally full phrase would be, "He mele inoa no ----," where "inoa" describes the type of "mele."
A simple "No ----" could mean "For -----" and can be understood to be in honor of, not simply about.
Hanohano is more descriptive of a state that the honoree is in -- "Hanohano 'O Mohai" would suggest something like "Glorious is Mohai", for instance --- which may a valid sentiment but is not quite the dedication you appear to seek. (BTW, since Mohai is a proper noun subject, it properly takes the 'o before it, although clearly there are songs that have dropped the grammatical particle.)
I myself have not run across "ho'ohanohano" used in this context.
Hope this helps -- maybe someone else will shed more light on the subject.
aloha,
Sarah
|
|
|
|
rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2007 : 1:17:07 PM
|
Would mele inoa cover this? It means name song,and dates back to chants before travelers came to Hawai'i.
Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
|
|
|
marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2007 : 3:03:48 PM
|
Hmm. Pua Lili Lehua was written to honor someone, but the song title comes from the phrase the song uses to identify the person. E Ku'u Lei uses the evoking 'ami "E" but it's also the first line of the song, which seems to be a common way songs get their titles. and, there's Ke'ala's Mele which is a mixture of English and Hawaiian. when i wrote an instrumental to honor someone, i followed kwan's naming scheme.
one of the great composers of such songs was helen desha beamer, and she named them in different ways: Kawohikukapulani (the name of the person), Ke Ali`i Hulu Mamo (the rank of the person), and Kimo Hula (the name of the person followed by "hula").
trivia fact: i just read on huapala.org that helen desha beamer died in san mateo, CA in 1952.
aloha,
keith
|
|
|
|
Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2007 : 1:14:08 PM
|
quote:
Naming music in honor of people is a not that uncommon tradition. In Irish traditional music the term "planxty" followed by a person's name carries this connotation.
Actually, "planxty" is a word that appears to have been invented by celebrated the Irish harper Turloch O`Carolan. No one has any idea exactly what it means, it's etymology or where he got it. At least that's what I've been told by Irish speakers and scholars... though whiskey may have been involved.
The usual idea is "In praise of..." as in Planxty Fanny Poer.
Or, as we say to the dancers at Kaupoa Beach "Fanny Power!"
|
|
|
|
Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2007 : 3:14:41 PM
|
| Mark..Mark...Mark... ;-) |
Thank you. |
|
|
|
Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2007 : 11:41:42 AM
|
| Well, considering the view of hula dancers that most musicians get... |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
