By Staff Reports
(KAILUA)– — Kanikapila in Kailua will wrap up 2012 with a special two-part concert on Saturday, December 8. The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation is proud to present Hi‘ikua, a trio of talented musicians who write and perform songs from the Hawaiian heart, and Kūpaoa, the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning husband and wife duo of Kellen and Lihau Hannahs Paik.
Hi‘ikua will take the stage at 2 p.m. followed by Kūpaoa at 4 p.m. on the ground floor of the parking garage near Macy’s and Longs in Kailua Town Center 3. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, grab food from their favorite Kailua eatery, and sit back and relax.
Kanikapila in Kailua, a monthly program that celebrates the Hawaiian music and culture of Windward O‘ahu, debuted in May 2012 and has seen crowds grow steadily. The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation plans to continue the popular series in 2013 and will be announcing the lineup of performances soon. “We look forward to making Kanikapila in Kailua even bigger and better next year,” said Terry George, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. “As we prepare to celebrate 50 years of grantmaking by the Foundation in 2013, we are also making some special plans for Kanikapila in Kailua to give back to the community.”
Hi‘ikua, made up of Kalehua Krug, Kamuela Kimokeo and Blake Leoiki-Haili, formed only in 2011 but is already considered a major force on the Hawaiian music scene. Their unique, progressive sound is leaving a mark on contemporary Hawaiian music.
In Hawaiian, “hi‘ikua” means “to carry on one’s back.” It is a pillar of the group’s philosophy that sometimes friends or family members carry you on their backs and at other times you carry them. Hi‘ikua’s falsetto songs are sweet, yet stirring, often tied to memories of the trio’s ‘ohana, upbringing and relationships. They remember when they were taught, inspired and carried by their elders and how, in later life, it was their duty and honor to carry on that responsibility for others.
Kūpaoa means “strong, lingering fragrance.” The group hoped its music would linger with audiences like a sweet, unforgettable aroma. Kellen Paik, born and raised in Kīlauea, Kaua‘i, and Lihau Hannahs Paik, raised in Kaimukī, use their strong Hawaiian language background to create beautiful tales set to music. In 2008, Kūpaoa released its first album, “Pili O Ke Ao,” which was nominated for four Hōkū awards. In 2009 they won a Hōkū for Most Promising Artists of the Year. Kellen Paik and friend Iokepa Badis – another Hawaiian language expert – also won the prestigious Haku Mele Award for Hawaiian language song composition of the year.
The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation builds on the strengths of Windward O‘ahu communities by supporting the region’s rich cultural legacy, its youth and families, and its natural resources through its grantmaking. The Foundation, together with Kawika Kahiapo, a noted Windward O‘ahu-based musician, created Kanikapila in Kailua in 2012 in the spirit of its mission to give back to and enrich the community.
The 2013 performances will be posted at www.castlefoundation.org; they can also be found by following the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation on Facebook or Twitter.