Statue to bring the aloha of Don Ho back to Waikiki

Don Ho, Hawaii’s best-known entertainer, is returning to the International Market Place on Aug. 13 — what would have been his 87th birthday.

A bronze statue of Ho, who started his Waikiki career at Duke Kahanamoku’s nightclub at the original market place, will be unveiled beneath the historic banyan tree at the Kalakaua Avenue entrance of the updated shopping, dining and entertainment center. The site is a stone’s throw from Duke’s, where Ho launched his career from 1964 to 1970, playing to packed houses and signaling his path to global fame.

His statue will face the street and welcome visitors in the spirit of aloha for which he was widely known.

“I like to do friendly statues,” said Kim Duffett, the sculptor commissioned to create the art piece. “I wanted to depict him in performance, because he was a natural performer, and we went with a Don in his prime — in the 1970s — when he was in his 40s. He had more weight on him in the 1960s, but I found a freeze-frame from a scene he did with Sam Kapu Jr., singing to two kids in ‘The Brady Bunch,’ which filmed here (in 1972). I liked that pose — more of a komo mai thing welcoming audiences and guest musicians to his stage. It’s a little kolohe, but I tried to instill a sense of movement.”

Ho died April 14, 2007, at age 76. He was known primarily for two hits, “Tiny Bubbles” and “I’ll Remember You.” But tunes composed by the late Kui Lee, such as “Lahainaluna,” “One Paddle, Two Paddle,” “Days of My Youth” and “Ain’t No Big Thing,” fueled his club and early recording career.

The $100,000 statue was commissioned by Taubman Properties, developer of the International Market Place, and took nearly two years to plan and another year to complete, Duffett said.

The statue weighs between 400 and 500 pounds and stands 6 feet 4 inches, compared to Ho’s 193 pounds and 5-foot-8 frame as listed on his 2005 driver’s license, said Haumea Hebenstreit Ho, the entertainer’s widow.

“On occasion, Don would jokingly say, ‘If they ever make a statue of me, make sure I’m 6-2, 175 pounds, with lots of hair,’” she said. Haumea Ho consulted with Duffett and she said Ho’s reaction might be, “‘Who’s that good-looking guy? It looks like my son Dwight. Ain’t no big thing.’”

Duffett utilized Ho’s eldest son Dwight as a preliminary model. “Dwight doesn’t really look like his dad but had certain features like Don’s. I had him do some posing, but I also had a model — a dancer from Chinky Mahoe’s halau, who was Hawaiian-Chinese-­Japanese-haole — who could hold a pose. I worked on Don’s face from photography and videography.”

Ho is depicted holding a microphone, singing and wearing an aloha shirt. He starred at the Polynesian Palace on Lewers Street and had mainland exposure via his ABC-TV series in the 1970s, a mid-career high.

“Statues are a way of communicating something of importance to future generations and we are proud to have dad’s memory perpetuated” in a statue at the International Market Place, Dwight Ho said. “While our children will never relive the magic they missed in the ’60s at Duke’s, hopefully it will cause them to pause, listen to ‘Days of My Youth’ and remember dad.”

Daughter Dondi Ho welcomed the statue, too, saying, “Our father’s heart endures still in his songs and music and those who were touched by his dynamic and kind Hawaiian hospitality at Duke’s. … He shared his heart and life full of aloha.”

Cha Thompson, co-founder of Tihati Productions and an entertainment peer of Ho’s for four decades, said the statue is a fitting homage to her buddy. “Don knew he belonged to the masses,” she said, acknowledging Ho’s widespread appeal among locals and visitors alike and his allegiance to supporting and nurturing island performers. “He felt an obligation to all his workers who’d be out of a job if he didn’t go on (stage) even for one night. He’ll be remembered for many generations to come; there will never be another Don Ho.”

The Ho statue looms as a potential selfie site for fans. The installation at the pivotal Waikiki location should rekindle interest in the beloved entertainer. Simply, it’s a grand homecoming.

The statue currently is at Artworks, a foundry in Berkeley, Calif., where Duffett will be visiting the next few days to finalize work on the metal and patina prior to shipment to Honolulu for unveiling.

“Don loved Waikiki as a boy, a beach boy and an entertainer, welcoming the visitors to paradise,” said Haumea Ho. “With this statue at the market place, his legacy will live on.”

Reach Wayne Harada at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.