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Mana Maoli’s newest video to premiere Saturday in benefit concert

Nina Wu
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KICKSTARTER

Mana Maoli is a collective of educators, musicians and cultural practitioners who come together to empower youth. The premiere of Mana Maoli’s newest video collaboration, “Song Across Hawai‘i,” will be screened on Saturday, along with two back-to-back concerts featuring a star lineup, at Victoria Ward Park.

The premiere of Mana Maoli’s newest video collaboration, “Song Across Hawai‘i,” will be screened on Saturday, along with two back-to-back concerts featuring a star lineup, at Victoria Ward Park.

The concerts and premiere from 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday are part of a three-in-one benefit for the nonprofit Mana Maoli, as well as 26 Hawaiian immersion and charter schools, according to executive director Keola Nakanishi. Supporters have until 10 a.m. Friday to get on the guest list by making a $15 donation to either manamele.org or the Kickstarter campaign.

Mana Maoli is a collective of educators, musicians and cultural practitioners who come together to empower youth.

The video will premiere live just after sunset, and then be released online on Mana Maoliʻs Facebook and YouTube accounts, and across many artist and media partner pages.

Two previous collaborative Playing for Change videos, “Hawai‘i Aloha” and “Island Style/‘Oiwi E,” have become viral hits, with millions of views online. They have been screened at The Smithsonian, various film festivals and also in Hawaiian Airlines in-flight videos.

“This third one, we feel, is our best one yet,” said Nakanishi. “It covers about 40 artists and hundreds of youth across 14 schools.”

Many artists in the concert lineup Saturday are also featured in the video.

The Ho‘omau Oahu Concert features Hawaiian music with Josh Tatofi, original members of the Makaha Sons of Ni‘ihau and youth from Hawaiian immersion and charter schools. The Mana Mele Concert features Kapena, Landon McNamara, Paula Fuga and more.

Donations may be made by 10 a.m. Friday to the Kickstarter campaign. The campaign helps pay for remaining post-production and premiere event costs and offers various perks, including the concert and a digital gift pack, along with private lessons or performances from the artists.

Donations of $20 may also be made at the door. More details are available at manamele.org.

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