I started Thursday morning by visiting a local restaurant for breakfast. I noticed something called Mochi Pancakes- one of my favorite clapping games that I introduce to my 4th graders, Omochio Tsukimasho, is about mochi, a rice cake from Japan. Excited by this connection, I decided to order the mochi pancakes. They were super delicious! Now, I was on a mission to find actual mochi to eat… could I actually find some in Hawaii?

Today I had gathered up the courage to take a surfing lesson at Waikiki Beach. I had included this in my grant proposal because I wanted to make sure to do something outside of my comfort zone. As teachers, we ask our students to step out of their comfort zones all the time: learning new things, taking intellectual risks, and being willing to make mistakes. It can be easy to forget how those things feel when you are the one who is always doing the teaching instead of the learning. And surfing was definitely outside of my comfort zone.

I decided to check out the area of Waikiki Beach where I would be taking the lesson later that day. There were lots of signs around the edge of this section of beach warning about coral patches and strong currents. Big, blue waves rose and crashed in the sea all the way to the horizon… and the surfers were all over them. I watched the surfers choose their waves, paddle, then stand up on the board like it was no big deal. They made it look so easy. I waded out into the ocean and very quickly understood why there were warnings about the coral patches- they were sharp! Luckily, the water was crystal-clear, which made it easy to avoid the sharp rock. The water was the absolute perfect temperature.

After scoping out the water, it was time to head to the surf shop. I met my teacher, Ace- a native Hawaiian in his 70’s who had been surfing since he was 4 years old. We started by practicing the steps of surfing on a foam board in the surf shop.
Step 1: lay on your belly (ōpū’)
Step 2: paddle 3 times, move hands down on the board
Step 3: arch back
Step 4: slide feet into kneeling position
Step 5: runner’s set position
Step 6: In Ace’s words, “Pop up like a coconut tree, then come down with hands pointing forward.”
He demonstrated the steps a few times, then asked me to try. I thought I had the hang of it, but Ace had lots of feedback for me at nearly every step of the process. He had me try it again and again until I got it right. I had to stay very focused in order to do the steps correctly, and eventually he said I was ready to try surfing in the ocean. After carrying the surfboards across the street to the beach and waxing the board, it was time to try it out for real. After several failed attempts, I was able to stand up on the board and ride a total of 5 waves! (There were a few major wipeouts between the successful runs…) I’ve always loved boogie-boarding, but this was a million times cooler. Perhaps the most challenging part of the entire lesson was swimming back to the shore with the board, making sure not to hit any of the swimmers or other surfers. My feet finally touched the sand and I was completely out of breath. Surfing was quite the workout!

Next on the itinerary: the Ukulele Lending Launch event at the Hawaii Public Library. (I had seen a sign for this on Tuesday while walking through Downtown Honolulu.) I arrived at the event early: the library’s atrium was already packed with adults and children alike. After grabbing a seat, I noticed a man with a lei and ukulele strap around his neck. JAKE SHIMABUKURO, ukulele virtuoso who became an international sensation back in 2006 for his YouTube video “While My Ukulele Gently Weeps.” (The magic begins at 2:40!) I’ve frequently shown my students videos of him performing.

After introductions and thank-you’s to the library staff, Jake played a few songs for the audience. I was in utter disbelief- his fingers moved so quickly and precisely around the fretboard, and his strumming was out of this world. He even added in funny choreography for the young children in the front of the audience, rolling on his uke for a long time before pretend-sneezing and immediately starting a new section of the song. Everyone around me, regardless of their age, was laughing/smiling during the performance.

After his performance, Jake explained the whole purpose of today’s event: to spread the word and kickoff this library’s ukulele lending program. He spoke about how libraries are a place for storytelling, and music is another avenue for stories to be told. Jake explained that this library loaned out its first book 106 years ago, and today they would be loaning out their very first ukulele, thanks to a very generous donation from Kala Ukulele. He also explained how, over the past decade, ukulele programs in Hawaiian public schools are dwindling due to lack of funding. I couldn’t believe my ears. Ukulele programs were dwindling in Hawaii?!?!?! How was that possible? Jake recounted his public school experience where all students in grades 4-5 learned ukulele as part of their music classes, then emphasized how that doesn’t happen anymore because most of the ukuleles are in need of repair or totally broken. He said that he had seen UkuLending programs in libraries all across the mainland- San Francisco, Wisconsin, and Maine… so it was about time that they started this program in ukulele’s state of origin!

I began to realize just how fortunate my little school, on the other side of the country, was to have ukulele as a part of our music curriculum. I thought about sharing this information with my students and how surprised they, too, would be to hear this. This got me thinking even more about the importance of honoring the culture and tradition of the ukulele in my classroom. Jake’s words strengthened my sense of responsibility for sharing ukulele with my students in a culturally authentic manner while also recognizing and respecting it as a culture that I do not belong to. My mind was buzzing with these thoughts and more as I listened to Taimane Gardner, another ukulele virtuoso, performing with her band.

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After Taimane’s performance, Jake spoke about the power and impact that music can have on a child. He explained how the goal of the UkuLending program is for the instrument to inspire the child to develop, regardless of what type of music they play. He explained how learning an instrument helps children with focus, coordination, and determination, then challenged the audience to consider what would happen if all of that was partnered with a love for reading. His passion for providing opportunity to the children (keiki) of Hawaii was as evident as his passion for music. Jake ended his time with the microphone expressing his own relationship with music; he talked about the joy he feels when playing ukulele, how it allows him to connect with others who don’t even speak the same language as he does, how he is able to take something within his heart and put it into sound and motion. He explained that ukulele is the illusion- the music is how we connect. I smiled as I became aware of the tears forming in my eyes, totally inspired by this ukulele virtuoso and his dedication to children and music education. Taimane and Jake ended the event with the most intense version of “Wipeout” I’ve ever heard in my life. It had been a fantastic day!

What started out as a normal Wednesday ended up being one of the most surprising days of my fellowship.

I woke up early to get organized before starting my day. I was behind on nearly everything, including my blog and my receipts. I started organizing my receipts and figuring out where I was budget-wise. After adding everything up, I realized that it would not be possible for me to purchase a tenor ukulele to bring back to my classroom after all. (Tenor ukes are bigger and therefore more resonant and powerful than soprano and concert ukes.) While I was discouraged by this, I reminded myself that the most important part of being here was the learning I was doing. I had so much to bring back to my classroom and share with my students: new songs, Hawaiian culture and history, new strategies for teaching technique, the list goes on and on. I could deliver all of that on my Lanikai concert ukulele- and maybe even switch my strings out to show the students the low G sound. Then, I could put a tenor ukulele in our school budget for the upcoming year and cross my fingers. This was not the end of the world.

After spending an hour or so getting organized, I picked up lunch for later and hopped on a bus for Roy Sakuma Studios. I had a busy day ahead of me: first, my ukulele lesson, then I had just enough time to bus over to the KoAloha Ukulele factory, explore the Ala Moana area, then head back to Waikiki to perform in a concert at the Honolulu Zoo. Hence the lunch to-go!

My second lesson with Cassidy was equally as amazing as my lesson on Monday. She had printed out the (very long) list of questions I had emailed to her and answered each one, demonstrating new strumming patterns and fingerpicking techniques. I took notes, practiced what she was showing me, and asked even more follow-up questions. It was such a gift to have those lessons with her this week.

I left Sakuma Studios with a ton of new songs and new ideas buzzing around in my head. I had to leave right after my lesson to catch the bus to KoAloha Ukes. I wanted to get there in time for their free factory tour! There are many ukulele factories in Hawaii, but everyone I asked (everyone… no exaggeration) about ukulele factories recommended KoAloha first. When I got to the factory, the employees invited us to play any of the ukuleles on the wall while we waited to begin the tour. It was immediately clear why everyone had recommended KoAloha; the sound that came out of the ukulele was like nothing I had ever heard before. Each string produced a rich, full pitch that you could hear but also feel resonating through your body. I couldn’t stop playing the uke- and it was clear that the people trying ukes around me felt the same way.

Maia, our tour guide, began by playing a short but very complicated song on a KoAloha ukulele. Her fingers moved so quickly from fret to fret, and her strumming included flamenco rolls and impressive tremolos. I was completely mesmerized by her performance, and amazed by the dynamic range of the instrument. (It could sound very loud and also very quiet without losing the quality of the sound.) It was clear that these ukes were expertly crafted by people who really knew how to play.

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Maia took our group through the small factory, stopping at different stations and describing each step in their method of manufacture. She passed around samples of ukuleles in each step of the process: first, just the curved wood for the sides, then the front and back wood panels which had been “bookmatched” to produce symmetric grains, then the neck, fretboard, and tuning pegs. Each step of their process is done by hand, with acute attention to detail.

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At the end of the tour, Maia invited us to check out their discounted selection of ukuleles, referred to as “Factory Specials.” She explained that Factory Specials are discounted because of a cosmetic blemish that has no effect on the quality of sound. Although I knew I would not be purchasing an instrument today, I was still interested in playing a few more of the ukes before leaving. Maia approached me asking if I had any questions and I asked her if they only used koa wood for their bodies, or if they used any other types of wood. She told me that they used other types of wood like spruce, which is what most guitars are made of. She asked me where I was from and I told her my story: that I was a music teacher from Connecticut, here on a FundforTeachers grant to learn more about Hawaiian culture, ukulele, and develop myself as a musician. We talked for a bit, and then she went to help another customer. I started talking with someone else in the shop about why he was visiting Hawaii and his experience with ukulele. I told him about the Jake Shimabukuro library event happening Thursday night, and he told me about steel guitar concerts that were happening around the island every evening. So much music! After taking down the information for the concerts, I thanked the man, waved to the KoAloha employees, and made my way out of the factory.

And then something very strange happened. Maia hurried out of the factory and made her way over to me, asking if I had a few extra minutes before leaving. She said that they had a uke for me. A uke for me? Very, very confused, I told her that yes, I had time, and I made my way back into the factory’s shop. What was she talking about? Maybe a ukulele keychain? Did she have a discounted uke that she thought I might be interested in purchasing? What was happening?!?! After a few minutes, Maia motioned for me to meet her in the adjoining room (the stringing room of the factory) and handed me a beautiful spruce-bodied tenor KoAloha ukulele. I was still confused. This was way bigger than a keychain! Was the ukulele discounted? What was happening?

Maia explained that she really enjoyed hearing about my fellowship and how I planned to take my experiences back to my classroom. Both she and her boss, Brian, wanted to make sure that my students experienced the KoAloha sound when I returned to Connecticut. They were giving me this beautifully handcrafted ukulele to share with my students. WHAT. She invited me to try out the uke, and offered two other spruce options for me to choose from if I wanted. I couldn’t move my feet. I couldn’t think clearly. I finally tried strumming the uke in my hands; the resonance of the sound woke me up to what was happening, Maia and Brian’s kindness seeped deep into my heart, and my eyes filled with tears. Still uncomfortable with the idea of being given such a generous gift (albeit on behalf of my students) I started stress-babbling to Maia about how I had not been telling her that I was a teacher so she would donate a ukulele… she assured me that she knew. After about 5 million thank you’s and lots of hugs, I left the KoAloha factory in an absolute fog. I was in no place to explore the Ala Moana area as I had planned; I needed to get back to the AirBnb and regroup. (And honestly, cry some more.) This was the kindest, most generous thing that a stranger had ever done for me.

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When I got back to the AirBnb, I had a little over an hour before I needed to head over to the Honolulu Zoo for the ukulele concert. I took the tenor uke out of its case and began to play a song I had recently learned called Hawaiian Music Box. The sound was magical. My heart skipped a beat as I thought about sharing this sound with my students. They are going absolutely love it! Thank you, Maia, Brian, and KoAloha Ukes!

I reflected on how this act of pure generosity had occurred hours after I had felt so discouraged that morning, convinced that I would not be bringing back a tenor after all. The universe works in mysterious ways! I vowed that for the rest of the trip (and beyond) I would take this act of kindness and pay it forward to others as much as I could. I also promised myself that I would keep practicing uke this summer in order to bring the best sound to my kids on that beautiful instrument.

My final event of the day was the Wildest Show in Town concert at the Honolulu Zoo. I was scheduled to play Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line” with other members of the Strummers Group in the middle of the concert. I decided to bring the KoAloha with me! After walking around a few central exhibits of the zoo, I found a spot on the grass to sit and watch several ukulele groups from the mainland, foreign countries, and even a professional group from Japan called Fulare Pad.

Soon enough, it was time for the Strummers to perform. I ran into a couple who James had gotten to know during my lesson at Sakuma Studios earlier that day- their names were Anne and Ray, and they were two of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They are ukulele enthusiasts who have attended the festival for three consecutive years. The three of us stood together on stage as we strummed along to “I Walk the Line” with a ukulele quartet called “Beat-lele.” It was a much smaller group than it had been on Sunday, and I felt a more responsible for our ensemble’s sound. There was nowhere to hide, in a good way!

After our performance, Anne and Ray waved to Roy Sakuma and started talking to him. OH MY GOSH. He was right there! The founder of this decades-strong Ukulele Festival! The man who taught Jake Shimabukuro! I was totally freaking out. My new friends motioned for me to come over, and they introduced me to Roy. I shook his hand and thanked him for all of the work he had done, all his life, to spread ukulele around Hawaii and around the world. I told him that we love our ukuleles in Connecticut, and that I was so happy to be at the festival. He was gracious, kind, and funny- we spoke for a few minutes and then snapped a photo. I was on cloud nine. Before leaving, I exchanged phone numbers with Anne and Ray so that we could meet up at the festival on Sunday. It had been a spectacular day!

After spending the morning at Pearl Harbor, I got back on the bus and headed to the Royal Mausoleum to visit the graves of Queen Lili’ukolani and Kings Kahmehameha II, III, IV, and V. Unfortunately, the building was locked when I got there, despite the website saying that they were open. (Something similar happened on the Big Island when I tried to visit a ukulele gallery… that’s part of exploring a new place!) Although I could not get into the actual building, I was able to explore the grounds and see a few monuments honoring the Queen and Kings. While the Mausoleum was not a crazy-fancy building, it was quite beautiful, and the grounds surrounding it were well kept. There was a sense of respect and reverence all around.

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From the Mausoleum, I hopped back on the bus towards Iolani Palace, the only royal palace that exists within the United States. As I walked through downtown Honolulu, a beautiful, white building surrounded by large palm trees caught my eye; sure enough, that was the palace. After exploring the grounds (beautifully manicured, just like the Mausoleum) I popped into the palace gift shop for a cold drink. While exploring the gift shop, I found the sheet music for Aloha Oe that had been stylistically printed in remembrance to the Queen. I bought a copy, as I plan to discuss some of the historical context behind the song with my students this year.

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While walking around in search of a bus stop that would take me back to Waikiki, I noticed a little sign that had Jake Shimabukuro on it. (For those who don’t know who Jake is, he is one the most famous and talented ukulele players of all time, and regarded as the best ukulele player of this generation. I frequently show videos of Jake playing ukulele in my classroom.) Immediately intrigued, I stopped and read that it was supporting a Ukulele Lending Launch at the Hawaii Public Library on Thursday. Upon turning the corner, I realized that this building was the Hawaii Public Library! I went inside an found a staff member to ask what the event would be about. He explained that 24 ukuleles had been donated to the library and starting on Thursday, anyone could check one out, just like they would check out a book. The program was being kicked off on Thursday evening with performances by Jake Shimabukuro and Taimane Gardner. I was so happy that I had stumbled across that sign! I marked my calendar and planned to be there.

I arrived back to Waikiki excited for the events ahead, and also exhausted from a long day of travel. Done with the bus for the day, I decided to walk around Waikiki and found their Farmers Market. Vendors sold fresh mango, pineapple, and dragon fruit, others were selling handmade crochet handbags, someone called out for customers to try malasadas (Hawaiian donuts,) and someone else was selling homemade, slightly spicy, chocolate nut clusters. As I reached the end of the market, I noticed a shop called Ukulele House. I immediately headed over to look around. I was especially interested in looking at the vintage ukuleles they had on display. I talked to the attendant about how I would be participating in the festival right down the road, and she said she would see me there. What a day!

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Tuesday, July 16th: I woke up early to catch the 7:00am bus to Pearl Harbor. During my 90 minute journey through new parts of Honolulu, I had time to reflect on all that had happened in the past week and a half, and how much I had learned. The memorial was already buzzing with people when we arrived.

I decided to start the day by walking through the waterfront memorial. While I came with a general understanding of what happened at Pearl Harbor in terms of the attack, I had much to learn. I felt a profound sadness as I walked through the stations in the park describing the events that unfolded, realizing that what I was reading actually happened, right where I was standing. The harbor at Ford Island was calm, and the sky was clear… this juxtaposition between what I saw and what I was reading gave me a sense of gratitude for the men and women of our armed forces, and the sacrifice they made for us.

I then walked to a memorial dedicated to the men and women who were killed during the attack. This memorial excluded the names of the 1,102 crew members of the USS Arizona; there is a separate memorial for them that has been built above the sunken ship in the harbor. As I read the names of those who lost their lives that day, I was alarmed to see groups of two or three people with the same last name: families. I was devastated to realize that some of the victims were babies: one was only 3 months old. Although I had previously read that Hawaiian civilians were killed that day, this brought a whole new level of understanding and sadness. I grappled with the idea that civilians had been caught in the middle of such a horrific event. It didn’t seem right, nor fair.

At the recommendation of my aerospace-obsessed travel buddy, I decided to continue my experience to the Pearl Harbor Aviation museum to learn more about the airplanes used during the war. This required us to take a shuttle bus over to Ford Island, which is still an active military base. During the bus ride there was an informative preprogrammed recording that explained how Ford Island was originally called Moku’ume’ume. This island used to be a hub of native Hawaiian tradition. These traditions were forbidden by visiting settlers who did not approve of things like hula dancing. (I write more about this topic, and how Queen Liliuokalani responded to it, in my earlier post titled Just Ukes.)

Upon arrival at the museum, I watched a short video describing the key events of WWII in the Pacific, starting with Pearl Harbor. Most of what I learned about WWII in school was very West-focused… maybe we did learn about the Pacific and I just don’t remember it, but regardless, the video taught me a lot. I walked through the museum and looked at the planes on display- they had both Japanese and American aircraft.

My favorite part of the museum focused on a woman named Cornelia Fort. She was the first American pilot to notice the Japanese planes flying into Pearl Harbor. She was a flight instructor teaching a lesson, when all of a sudden she noticed Japanese planes making their way to Pearl Harbor. During a time when women’s abilities in aerospace were doubted, Cornelia and her counterparts in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were determined to offer their skills as pilots to help the military in the war. She died in a ferrying accident while working for the Air Force.

From the museum, I visited Hanger 79 and saw more airplanes and helicopters- you were allowed to walk right up to them and touch them.

As I took the shuttle back to the Pearl Harbor Memorial, I thought about everything I had seen that morning. It was painful to process, but important to remember.

Monday, July 15th: I decided to check out Waikiki Beach early in the morning- it was way less busy than yesterday. The water was warmer than it was at Black Sand Beach but cooler than Kona. It was shallow in most places up to a rock wall in the ocean, called “beach walls.” I realized that these walls were protecting this area of the water from the waves further out.
Later that morning, I had my first of two private ukulele lessons at Sakuma Studios. (Roy Sakuma is the founder of Ukulele Festival Hawaii, and he has uke studios all over Oahu and on other Hawaiian islands as well.) By taking private uke lessons, I would be working towards Learning Goals 2 and 3: refining my own ukulele technique and refining my instructional methods/adding songs to my repertoire that I can share with my students.

I chose to walk to Sakuma studios- the bus ride was 30 minutes, and the walk was 45. No big deal, right? Well, I did not account for the heat that I would encounter while walking almost entirely uphill to Kaimuki! For Wednesday’s lesson, I would definitely be taking the bus. You live and you learn!

I arrived at the studio grateful for the air conditioning. I was there a little early, so I picked up my festival T-shirts, paid for my lessons, then watched a slideshow of pictures from past festivals while I waited for my lesson time. I hadn’t realized that so many famous musicians had visited this festival throughout the years- Santana, Jack Johnson, Iz, the list goes on and on! My instructor, Cassidy, used to take lessons here as a kid. She is a natural teacher and such a wealth of knowledge about the ukulele and how to make it accessible for kids. She gave me so many songs to bring back to my classroom, and explained which ones were more challenging and why. She welcomed all of my questions about how she taught certain concepts, demonstrated techniques for me, and we played a few songs together. She also challenged me to play very familiar chords with different finger positions… essentially asking me to break a few old habits. This was tricky for me, but I’ve been practicing with her suggestions every day since the lesson.

I left my ukulele lesson feeling super inspired and excited about bringing this new learning to my classroom. After making the 45-minute walk back to the AirBnb, I just had to play more uke. I played through everything we had just done in the lesson again, found the recordings/YouTube videos she had recommended to me, and brainstormed a list of questions/topics that I wanted to cover in Wednesday’s lesson. It felt so good to have time to focus on my own development on the instrument, as well as start mapping out how I would use this new repertoire with my students in September.

Later that day, I headed to the Waikiki Aquarium, where I would be attending a traditional Hawaiian luau. While the food was great and the performance was awesome, my favorite part of the luau was right at the beginning. As we walked into the luau, there were various interactive stations dedicated to different aspects of Hawaiian culture. I chose to start at a station where we made our own wrist leis. I then made my way through the other stations, watching palm braiding, asking questions about their wood carving, and trying poi ball twirling (used in Polynesian traditional dance.) I played traditional percussive instruments of Hawaii, inluding ili li rocks (kind of like castanets,) pu ili sticks, and ipu. Finally, I couldn’t help but stop at the ukulele station to hear the instructor explain beginning chords to the other luau attendees.

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After a traditional Hawaiian prayer, we were invited to visit the buffet line. Dinner featured traditional Kalua pork, coconut curry, poi, fresh pineapple, and cake with a guava icing. After everyone had their food, the performance began. Six performers demonstrated the dances and traditions of Hawaii, in addition to other Pacific Islands like Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, and New Zealand. Near the end of the show, they asked for volunteers to come up on stage to try hula dancing… guess who raised her hand? I’ll spare you the video, but it was a lot of fun. It had been a great day, and tomorrow would bring even more learning at Pearl Harbor. Stay tuned for more updates!

I woke up bright and early on Sunday morning, packed a few last-minute things, and left for Hilo International Airport. On my way to the airport, I drove through the Liliukulani Botanical Gardens- it’s very evident that the people of Hawaii hold her in very high esteem. (As you might remember from my previous post, she gave the ukulele its name and composed the song Aloha Oe.) Her name has come up in some way, shape, or form nearly every day of my fellowship!

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After arriving at the airport and dropping off the rental car, it was time to say goodbye to the Big Island. I caught up on some blogging while waiting for my flight and reflected on just how much I had learned over the past week. Side note: this airport was similar to the Kona Airport, in that it was an outdoor airport with basically no exterior walls. I had never seen something like this before my fellowship. Shortly after takeoff, I got one last glimpse at Mauna Loa, the second largest volcano in the world.

The 56-minute trip to Oahu flew by (ha!) and before I knew it, I was taking an Uber to my AirBnb. (The buses do run from the airport to Waikiki, but they do not allow for large luggage.) I was grateful to be able to store my luggage at the AirBnb a few hours before check-in so I could get the most out of the day. I walked to Waikiki Beach (only one block away from the AirBnb!) and quickly noticed that 11:45am was a tough time to get a spot on the beach. There were people everywhere- in the water, on the sand, even in the grass and on the curb behind the beach! The road along the beach was lined with more souvenir shops than there were all of Kona.

While walking, I spotted a bright yellow sign for Ukulele Festival Hawaii! This is the festival that I had built my entire fellowship around- it draws in ukulele enthusiasts from around the world each year. The festival’s founder, Roy Sakuma, is an absolute legend in the ukulele world and still runs the festival 49 years later. My week on the island of Oahu will be filled with ukulele-centered experiences and two lessons at Sakuma studios, all leading up to the festival on Sunday, July 21st, my last full day in Hawaii.

I walked by the bandstand where the festival would happen (I recognized it from YouTube videos of past festivals!) then looped back around and got lunch at a restaurant by the beach called Cheeseburger in Paradise. While leaving the restaurant, I noticed a QR code outside for the Hawaiian Music Walk of Fame. There were bronze portraits of Hawaii’s most famous musicians along the walls of the restaurant’s exterior, including Don Ho, Hilo Hattie, and Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwoʻole. You could scan the QR code beneath each portrait to read more about each artist. Super cool!

At that point, I was able to check in to the AirBnb, which was a part of an apartment complex. It was nice to get out of the heat for a bit- Honolulu seemed to trap heat more than any of the Big Island cities… maybe because of all the high rise buildings?

Before I knew it, I was heading to my first rehearsal for Ukulele Festival Hawaii. Uke on my back, I walked to the bandstand I had walked by just a few hours ago. However, now the whole area was buzzing with people. Kids of all ages stood in the check-in line, ukes on their shoulders, waiting to fill out their raffle tickets for the free ukulele drawing. I managed to find a seat at one of the park benches and watched the main ukulele band- comprised of young adults who had clearly been playing for a long time- rehearse song after song. Roy Sakuma, the founder of the festival, spoke into a microphone keeping rehearsal running and sometimes offering suggestions. He had a very calm presence, yet kept everyone (bandmembers and onlookers) engaged and listening. It was clear that he was so passionate about sharing ukulele with children, and also that he was very good at it.

My performance group is called the STRUMMERS, and is made up of adults who are studying ukulele at Sakuma studios, plus any adult visitors from the mainland, like myself. We will be one of the last ensembles to perform in the festival. Before us, there are several different ensembles made up of children of all ages. I watched each of these ensembles perform and rehearse, and my whole heart felt full. I was blown away by what these children were capable of- they were picking on their ukes beautifully and oh so accurately! I later found out that there are about 500 kids who are participating in the festival. 500 kids! Absolutely amazing, and oh so inspiring!

After rehearsal, I grabbed dinner nearby at a lovely place called Ruffage- their Sunflower Special (a sandwich with cheese, avocado, and sunflowers) was delicious! Then immediately time for bed… it had been quite the busy day of traveling, music, and learning!

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After soaking up the early morning sun and taking in the beauty of the beach one last time, it was time to bid Punaluu farewell and head east. I had heard about another kanikapila in Puna (located at the southeast corner of the Big Island) and would be spending most of my day there. On my way to Puna, I used my visitor pass once more to get a last glimpse of the beautiful volcanoes and craters by Volcano House.

Once I was close to the community center, I stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Luquin’s. (Sidenote: there is a LOT of Mexican cuisine in Hawaii, and every single Mexican plate I’ve had has been delicious!) While walking back to the rental car, I noticed a few people in the parking lot with ukes on their backs. I wondered if they were heading to the same kanikapila… it turns out they were!

I arrived at the Leilani Estates community center about 15 minutes early and the building was already buzzing with people, ukes in hand, age 10 to retired. Groups of people chatted, others noodled away on their uke, and some were helping to distribute loaner songbooks. I sat next to a couple who lived in Leilani Estates (as many of the attendees did) who welcomed me warmly. They told me that they absolutely loved these Saturday jam sessions, and they found that they learned more at these than they did in private lessons. At this point, the room was totally filled with people, and those arriving were setting up chairs and music stands on the porch outside. Now I was really excited. Before we started, I introduced myself to Andy, the leader of the Puna Ukulele Kanikapila Association (PUKA.) He was so welcoming, and even introduced me to the rest of the group before starting his pre-kanikapila lesson.

And then he started teaching.

I’m struggling to put my thoughts into words… once Andy began the lesson, I felt like I was on a journey with the rest of these community members. His style was relaxed, yet energetic; thoughtful, yet concise. Before starting, he addressed the newcomers and beginners, saying “Today, there will be something for everyone, but not everything will be for everyone. And that’s okay.” He demonstrated chords, explained the theory behind them in relatable terms, and had us all laughing nearly the whole time. All of our learning happened in the context of three Beatles songs. Before talking chords, he always had us sing the song without playing. As we sang, a woman at the front of the room played electric bass, outlining the chords that we would soon be playing and helping us sing in the correct key. Andy sang along with us and every now and then started playing the chords on his soprano uke. After we sang through it, he would choose one part of the song and demonstrate chords, showing how to simplify the ones that might be too complicated for beginners. Oftentimes, he’d sprinkle in that approachable music theory I mentioned earlier and a funny anecdote. He would then outline the song form and circle all of the sections that were identical to what we had just learned. “You just learned 75% of the song!” Then, we would play that 75%, skipping nonfamiliar sections and “focusing on the chords, not the singing.” Finally, we would learn any remaining unfamiliar chords, practice those sections, then play the song all the way through. He encouraged us to do our best and reminded us that we were learning; “There’s no better place than a music class to make a mistake.”

The hour flew by, and before I knew it, the lesson had ended and it was time for kanikapila. Some folks left after the lesson, but most stayed put and others had just arrived. Anyone was welcome to call out numbers from the group songbook, filled with a diverse selection of 200 songs. We played and sang pop songs, rock songs, Hawaiian songs, and everything in between. We strummed along with the electric bass, someone in the back played bongos, people pulled kazoos out of their pockets, and a few people started dancing hula in the front of the room.

Pure, unadulterated joy in the form of carefree music-making. Come as you are, anything goes. It was just plain fun.

In between songs, Andy would crack jokes, tell stories, and give updates about upcoming PUKA events. People made announcements and shared personal news with the group. In the middle of songs, he would start singing another familiar song that had the same chord progression, guiding us in taking a fun and exciting detour to the end of our song. We played for about an hour and a half and ended with the requested song “That’s Amore,” complete with hand choreography that Andy had added for us. My face hurt from smiling so much.

After an amazing afternoon of ukulele, it was time to head to Hilo, where I would be staying for my final night on the Big Island. On my way out of Leilani Estates, I saw Fissure 8: the site of the 2018 volcanic eruption. The fissure had been a topic of conversation that had come up with islanders from Kona to Hilo. An enormous wall of lava interrupted a road, powerlines, and trees.

It was fascinating, but also sad to see, especially since I had just played uke with people whose homes were destroyed by it last year. As I stared at the lava and thought about those who had been displaced by it, I thought about the role of kanikapila in these people’s lives. Music has always been a safe space for me- a place for expression, to process emotions, to connect with others, and to feel like a part of something bigger than myself. This kanikapila was a living, breathing example of everything I love about music. What a gift!
In my grant proposal, I talked about how ukulele can be used to strengthen ohana, the Hawaiian word for family, between my students. I was hoping, through this fellowship, to find examples of ohana through ukulele. Check! I am beyond excited to bring my PUKA experience back to my classroom in September, and I am hopeful that the ohana between my students will be nurtured, strengthen, and grow throughout the school year.

Thursday afternoon: After hiking Pu‘u Huluhulu in the morning, I decided to venture up to Hilo, the capital city of the Big Island, for lunch. Volcano was amazing, but there were very few options for food in the area. Hilo, on the other hand, had lots of options, including a great Mexican restaurant called Lucy’s Taqueria. Every serving was enormous and my taco salad was delicious. I also tried their fresh fruit juice, called Agua Fresca… it was amazing!

After Lucy’s, I walked down the sidewalk to check out some of the nearby shops. I noticed several fruit markets and consignment shops- this was very different from Kona, where there were mostly souvenir shops and retail outlets. I popped into one of the consignment shops and was very excited to find a pair of $8 water shoes… in my size… that were purple with polka dots! These were sure to help me at Punaluu Black Sand Beach the next day.

From there, I visited Waiānuenue, also known as Rainbow Falls. This wide waterfall is a part of the Wailuku River. The water falls over a lava cave that was believed to be the home of Hina, the Hawaiian goddess of the moon. After parking up the street, I walked up to the top of the falls through a forest of banyan trees- I had never seen anything like them before! Apparently, these type of trees grow in India but were brought over to Maui in 1873. The view of the falls was best from the bottom level of the park, where you could get a good look at the lava cave. It looked like a place that Peter Pan could use as a hideout!

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Friday: At the recommendation of nearly every travel resource I had consulted, I visited Punaluu Black Sand Beach on Friday morning. Apparently, when lava touches the ocean, it cools and then explodes, creating black sand. I had no idea! The sand was unlike anything I had ever seen before- it kind of felt like rock salt, it was porous, and each piece was a different shape and size. Within a few seconds of walking on the beach, I saw a big sea turtle sleeping on the beach, basking in the bright sun. This was so exciting- I had heard that turtles loved Black Sand Beach, but I figured I would have to spot them swimming in the water. There were lots of signs on this beach- some reminded visitors to stay away from turtles, others warned swimmers about the strong current, and another sign indicated that there was a lifeguard on duty.

I walked the shore for a bit, then decided to sit for a while and take in the beauty of this unique place. I walked down to the shore and waited for the waves to touch my toes… this water was definitely colder than Kona’s, but still warmer than the ocean back home. I waded into the water a little more and discovered lots of lava rocks of all different shapes and sizes. Good thing I had brought my new water shoes in my backpack. As the most recent wave retracted back to the ocean, I felt tiny pebbles hit my heel. All of a sudden, I felt a big THUD against my Achilles- it was a cantaloupe-sized rock that had been sitting on the dry shore behind me a few moments ago! I guess the ocean was telling me to get those water shoes. Once I had them on, it was much easier to wade beyond knee-deep water, though the rocks kept rolling around even further out. While swimming, I spotted another sea turtle floating in a big wave afar. I could have stayed there all day.

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Eventually, I decided to head back to my AirBnb to catch up on my blog. Realizing that my skin could use a little break from the sun, I decided to stay in for a bit longer and play through some songs in the new Hawaiian Ukulele book I had purchased in Kona. I couldn’t remember the melodies for some of the songs I had played at Monday’s kanikapila, so I found those songs on YouTube, just like the islanders had recommended I do if I forgot. This really helped me retain the melody and also hear the Hawaiian pronunciations again.

I headed back to Hilo for dinner and dessert- but not in that order. On my way into the city, I stopped at a “shave ice” truck. I had seen many people walking around with brightly colored shaved ice in Kona- it seemed like a great way to beat the Hawaiian heat- but hadn’t tried any yet. I ordered a pineapple-mango-passion fruit shave ice and stood at the window in anticipation as the ice was shaved from a giant block inside of the truck. The serving- a regular size- was ENORMOUS. And wonderful. It was similar to a sno-cone, but more smooth, since the ice was shaved instead of crushed.
After finishing the shave ice, I got dinner at a restaurant called Pineapples in downtown Hilo (amazing place!) and then headed back to my AirBnb to pack my suitcase and prepare for a busy Saturday.

After a long day of driving on Tuesday, I was grateful to be staying just a few minutes from Volcanoes National Park. I got to the park half an hour after the park opened and the Visitor’s Center was already filled with people! I asked one of the park rangers about her favorite hikes in the park and made note of her recommendations. She also filled me in about several areas of the park that were closed due to last year’s volcanic activity, including Thurston Lava Tube- a volcanic, cave-like vent that you can walk through. Luckily, there were plenty of other areas of the park to check out.

After seeing the steam vents, I continued down Crater Rim Drive, stopping at several outlooks to take in the incredible volcanic landscape around me. It was absolutely breathtaking. I snapped pictures, but the best camera in the world couldn’t do it justice. At one of the outlooks, I noticed very small specks moving across the crater below me- I then realized those were PEOPLE! Hiking across the dormant crater! I located the trail on my map and immediately decided that would be my planned hike for the afternoon.

After completing Crater Rim Drive, I headed back to the front of the park and got lunch at the restaurant onsite. I was feeling brave and I ordered Hawaiian pizza- remember in my previous post when I mentioned my aversion to pineapple on pizza? Maybe it was the fresh pineapple, my growing love for Hawaiian culture, or maybe it just tasted good, but I actually really enjoyed it. Don’t knock something ’til you try it! I should also mention the incredible guava juice I had with my meal- another first for me. However, the best part of lunch was the view of Kilauea Crater through the restaurant’s gigantic windows.

Before I knew it, I had made it to the Kilauea Crater. Vast openness, jagged volcanic rock that looked like a broken highway, and mountains all around me… it made me feel so small (in a good way.) Again, the pictures don’t do it justice. I hiked across the whole crater until I encountered signs saying the rest of the trail (connecting to another crater) was temporarily closed due to the eruption last year. I made my way back across the crater and up the trail back to the parking lot, in total awe of this experience and the beauty around me.

I continued exploring Volcanoes National Park on Thursday with a hike through the 1974 Mauna Ulu flow and up the Pu‘u Huluhulu Cinder Cone. This 2.5 mile hike featured more of the jagged volcanic rock and vast open landscape that I described above. I picked up a self-guided tour book and read about many of the volcanic features and the history behind them while hiking. I learned about lava trees, how they are formed, and how to identify them. (They are basically huge chunks of lava that do not look like trees at all, but have trees inside!) Before I knew it, I had arrived at the cinder cone and trekked up the switchbacks until I reached the top. Once again, I was taken aback by the grandness and beauty around me. Truly remarkable!

Tuesday, July 9th: After getting one last glimpse of the beautiful trees and flowers around the AirBnb, I set out for another day of exploring the Big Island. I was now south of Kona, in an area called Captain Cook. Captain James Cook was the first English explorer to discover the Hawaiian islands back in 1778. He and his crew were believed to be gods, but eventually the islanders realized that the Englishmen were mere mortals. Captain Cook was killed by islanders in 1779. There is a monument by the shore where he died that is accessible via a hiking trail or kayaking. I decided to start my day hiking the trail down to the monument.

I knew that the hike would be challenging, but I did not expect it to take more than 2 or 3 hours. The beginning of the trail led directly into the forest- the ground was wet from last night’s rain and I could hear the sounds of animals in the distance. As I continued to walk, the trail became more muddy and the grass got even taller. Before I knew it, I was using both arms to push tall grass and reeds aside, moving very slowly through the trail. As it started to rain, I checked my map and realized that I still had a very long way to go. If I continued hiking down to the monument, I would have to remove other things from my itinerary for the day. I decided to call an audible and head back to the car as the rain got heavier. I drove to the shore about 10 minutes away and was able to catch a glimpse of the monument and the steep, heavy forest behind it. One of these days I will come back (with more waterproof gear) and finish that hike!

After snapping a few photos of the rainbow, it was time to tour the farm. Our tour guide, Helen, taught our tour group all about how Kona coffee is picked, treated, and roasted. She picked a ripened coffee cherry from one of the trees and let us take turns feeling the slimy coffee beans that were inside. She talked about how the Kona Belt, the area on the island with the best weather/climate conditions for growing coffee. I learned so much from her! After the tour, we headed back to the porch for samples of coffee-themed candy before visiting the coffee shop. It was a great visit!

After stopping for lunch at a local Hawaiian barbecue stand, it was time to bid the west coast goodbye and start the 80 mile drive towards Volcano. There is essentially one main road, called Hawaii Belt Road, that goes around the edge of the entire island (because there are a ton of mountains/volcanoes in the middle of the island!) so the drive was beautiful, but very windy and fairly slow-going. I decided to take a detour from the windy road and stop at Papakōlea Green Sand Beach, which many islanders had recommended. My sneakers were still wet from the morning hike on Ka’awaloa Trail, so I decided to make the walk in my Old Navy flip flops. (Remember when I said I hadn’t learned my lesson about walking to the beach in flimsy shoes?) The walk started on pavement, then transitioned to desert-like sand, then transitioned to- you guessed it- lots of rough, sharp volcanic rock. My feet were not happy with me again- but the view of the Pacific waves crashing against the cliffs made it all worth it! The beach itself was not as green as I expected, but definitely greener than any sand I had seen before. Following this walk, I opted to drive to nearby South Point- as the name suggests, this is the southernmost point on the Big Island! After taking in the views, it was time to continue on down the Hawaii Belt Road into Volcano.

As the sun went down and I got closer to Volcano, the views around me changed drastically. All of a sudden, it felt like I had been transported to the middle of the rainforest. Everything around me was green… even the AirBnb! I will be staying here in Volcano for four nights, exploring the National Park and other features of the south coast. Thanks for reading, stay tuned for updates on my adventures in Volcano!