Hawaiian entertainers, songwriters and musicians from across Hawaii and beyond joined relatives, friends and fans at Saturday’s funeral for Hoku Award-winner and slack-key master Dennis David Kahekilimamaoikalanikeha Kamakahi, who died of lung cancer April 28 at age 61.
Observances started with a traditional Hawaiian memorial service at 11 a.m. in the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Memorial Chapel at Kamehameha Schools. Kamakahi had planned much of it during the last month of his life.
Stephen Inglis, Danny Carvalho and "Uncle Bobby" Moderow played ki ho‘alu while well-wishers paid their respects to the Kamakahi ohana — Marlene Sai, Mike Kaawa, Jeff Peterson, Donnie Martin, "Brother Noland" Conjugacion, Ocean Kaowili, Glen Smith and state Sen. Brickwood Galuteria among them. Danny Kaleikini stepped up and added his voice to the guitarists’ melodies.
The formal service opened with Aaron Mahi, a friend of Kamakahi from their days as students at Kamehameha (Class of 1971), leading the Kamehameha Men’s Alumni Glee Club in singing "Kamalo," a song Mahi and Kamakahi wrote several years ago. It was the first time the song had been publicly performed in its entirety.
Next came an ‘oli wehe (opening chant) performed by Daniel Kahikini Akaka Jr. and his wife, Anna.
Hawaii’s Christian traditions were observed with the Hawaiian translations of the Lord’s Prayer ("Ka Pulu A Ka Haku") and the Doxology ("Ke Mele Ho‘omaika‘i").
Kamakahi’s other musical selections for his service drew from both Christian and secular sources: "Sail On O My Soul," "‘Ekolu Mea Nui," "Hawai‘i Aloha" and "Sons of Hawaii."
Kamakahi’s sons, James and David, shared their favorite memories. Rowan Young, a classmate and long-time friend, recalled trips to the neighbor islands, "special brownies" and a group named Halawa Jam. Keith Haugen brought Patrick Landeza up with him to pay tribute to Kamakahi with a Hoagy Carmichael song, "There Goes Another Pal of Mine."
Eddie Kamae, Kamakahi’s friend and mentor for more than 40 years, sang an original song a capella as his final farewell.
The church service was followed by more than four hours of musical entertainment on the Great Lawn at Bishop Museum. The celebration there included an old-style Hawaiian luau with kalua pork from four 300-pound pigs, 250 pounds of poi, 200 pounds of luau leaf, 190 pounds of sweet potatoes, and comparable amounts of lomilomi salmon and other Hawaiian staples all collected, prepared and donated by members of the Hawaiian community.
Mahi, the head organizer of the luau, quoted Kamehameha III in describing the afternoon as an opportunity to bring the Hawaiian community together.
"He said we should come together and make one — everyone of one thought — come together and make one heart (and) come together and be of one aloha. One love, one for another and one to each another. That’s the reason for doing this.
"Kamehameha (the Great) said that he had gathered the islands together but the truth and the justice of Hawaii was not finished," Mahi said. "We, the flowers, the descendants, the mamo (descendants), we have to bring it together again and continue the work of Kamehameha in uniting ourselves."
Mahi said the afternoon was a time for the people of Hawaii to sing, eat, laugh and cry together in bidding aloha to Dennis Kamakahi.
And that they did. A giant-size tent provided shade and shelter from the occasional light showers. The food line moved with remarkable speed.
Kimo Kahoano and Jacqueline "Skylark" Lindsey shared emcee duties.
The celebration got started with David Kamakahi leading Carvalho, Inglis, Landeza, Kale Hannahs, Matthew Sproat and Jon Yamasato in playing "Wahine ‘Ilikea," "Pua Hone" and "Koke‘e" — three of Dennis Kamakahi’s most popular compositions.
Moderow took the stage to perform solo. Martin Pahinui made a rare public appearance early in the afternoon; his brother, Cyril, performed later.
Mark Yamanaka came over from Hilo to share his music. Lehua Kalima sang her Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning song, "Flying With Angels," with instrumental support from Shawn Pimental.
The Keawe ohana was represented by Eric Keawe; his daughter, Pomaika‘i Keawe-Lyman; and her daughter, Malie Lyman, plus several other children with Halehaku Seabury-Akaka on guitar. Malie played steel guitar, danced hula and sang, but defered to her mother when the ohana closed their mini-set with "Alika."
And the party wasn’t only on stage. Several lucky folks got some extra entertainment when Nathan Nahinu, another of the talented performers in the afternoon program, continued to entertain after he left the stage and danced an improvised hula between the tables in the extra large luau tent.
