Synopsis: The poems from “Down on the Sidewalk in Waikiki” by Wayne Kaumualii Westlake, who passed away in 1984, have inspired 17 artists to create beautiful art currently exhibited at Gallery ‘Iolani at Windward Community College. The exhibit will continue through July 3. Gallery ‘Iolani is open 1- 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

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I ka lohe a ‘ike ‘ana aku paha i ka inoa, ‘o Wayne Kaumualii Westlake, e puka auane’i paha ka nīnau, “’O wai lā kēlā?” ‘O ia nō ho’i ka nīnau a ko ‘oukou mea kākau. Akā, i kēia manawa, ua nui ko’u mahalo i ke kono ‘ia ‘ana o māua me ka’u wahine, e hele aku i ka hō’ike’ike ‘o Down on the Sidewalk in Waikiki.

Ma mua o ke kama’ilio ‘ana no ia hō’ike’ike, e ho’olauna iki ‘ia aku ‘o Wayne Kaumualii Westlake me ‘oukou. Ua hānau ‘o ia ma Maui a ne’e maila i O’ahu nei i kona wā e kamali’i ana. Mai ke Kula Ki’eki’e ‘o Punahou ‘o ia i puka ai a hele akula i ke Kulanui o ‘Olekona, Eugene. Ua pa’a ihola ke kekelē ‘Ōlelo Pākē a me ka Mo’olelo Pākē ma ke Kulanui o Hawai’i ma Mānoa. I kona wā ma ke kula ki’eki’e, ua ulu ka hoi i ka haku mele ‘ana a nui a’ela kāna mau mele i haku ai. ‘O ka mea minamina, i ka makahiki 1984, ua make ihola ‘o Westlake ‘elua pule ma hope o ka ulia ka’a ma Hilo. Ua ho’oku’i ‘ia kona ka’a e kekahi ka’a. Ma hope mai, ua alu like nā hoa o Westlake a i ka makahiki 2009, ua pa’i ‘ia ka puke ‘o Westlake: Poems by Wayne Kaumualii Westlake (1947-1984). A i ka makahiki 2013, ua hana ‘ia kahi CD i kapa ‘ia ‘o Down on the Sidewalk in Waikiki, Songs from Wayne Kaumualii Westlake’s Poems. He 27 mele o ia CD.

A ‘o ia mau mele no loko mai o I lalo i ka Pīpā Alanui i Waikīkī, ‘o ia nō nā mele i ho’oulu ‘ia ai he 17 mau mea hana no’eau e hana i mau hana no’eau no ka hō’ike’ike i kapa ‘ia ma ka inoa like, I lalo i ka Pīpā Alanui i Waikīkī. A aia ia hō’ike’ike ke mālama ‘ia nei ma ka Hale ‘o ‘Iolani o ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o nā Ko’olau (WCC). Eia mai kekahi mau hana no’eau kūhohonu.

‘O lehu ‘ula no lehu pele, na Kapulani Landgraf, he pane ia i ke mele ‘o “Washing Windows” a Westlake. He nani nō kā Landgraf ho’opilipili ‘ōlelo ‘ana ma ke ahole. A he hō’ike mai paha kāna i nā mea i hūnā ‘ia, nā mea i ahuwale ‘ole, ma lalo o ka pīpā alanui. A ho’okahi wale nō hua ‘ōlelo hō’ike mana’o a Landgraf i ia mele a Westlake, ‘o ia ho’i, ‘o OKI.

‘O kekahi hana no’eau i ulu loa ai ka hoi, ‘o ia kā April Drexel, i kapa ‘ia ‘o a conscious soulja. ‘O ke mele ‘o “BLOODSTAINS” a Westlake ka mea i ho’oulu ‘ia ai ‘o Drexel. Aia kahi ki’i o ke kanaka kuewa, akā, ma muli o ia mele ‘o “BLOODSTAINS”, he mea maopopo, he Kanaka Maoli, a he koko Ali’i nō paha kona.

‘O ka hana no’eau a Imaikalani Kalahele, ‘o Huikau, kekahi mea nui. ‘A’ole paha ahuwale nā mea a pau. Akā, ke nānā pono aku i nā mea ma Waikīkī, e ‘ike ‘ia ana paha nā mea nui o kākou, nā akua, nā kūpuna.

A no laila, e naue aku i ka Hale ‘o ‘Iolani o ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o nā Ko’olau (WCC) no ka māka’ika’i ‘ana aku iā I lalo i ka Pīpā Alanui i Waikīkī a me nā hana no’eau kūhohonu ma laila. Ma laila ana nō a i ka lā 3 o Iulai. Hemo ka Hale ‘o ‘Iolani mai ka hola 1:00 o ke awakea a i ka hola 5:00 o ka ‘auinalā mai ka Pō’akahi a i ka Pō’alima.

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.