Hawaiian Music History: From Chants to Jawaiian Reggae

Hawaiian Music & Jawaiian Reggae

A Global Music Journey Through the Aloha State

Global Music Class

What is Hawaii?

The Islands

A group of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean — about 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland

8 main islands: O'ahu (Honolulu), Maui, and the Big Island are the largest

Population: about 1.4 million people

Its own language (Hawaiian) and a deep culture very different from the rest of America

Why Music Matters Here

Before Hawaiians had a written language, they passed down history through songs and chants

Music was never just for fun — it was how they remembered their ancestors, their religion, and their connection to the land

A Brief History of Hawaii

Before 1778: The Old Days

Polynesian explorers arrived ~1,000 years ago

Brought chants, drums, and a spiritual way of life

History was sung, not written

1778–1893: The Kingdom of Hawaii

1778: British Captain James Cook arrived

1810: King Kamehameha I united all the islands

Missionaries brought Christian hymns and guitars — Hawaiians blended them with their own music

Queen Lili'uokalani wrote "Aloha 'Oe" — one of the most famous Hawaiian songs ever

1893–Today: Loss & Revival

1893: American business leaders overthrew the queen with U.S. military help

Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1898, a state in 1959

This painful history is WHY Hawaiian music feels emotional and proud — it's music about remembering who you are

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Traditional Hawaiian Music

In ancient Hawaii, there was no separate word for 'music.' Singing, dancing, and storytelling were all one thing.

MELE

Songs or chants that tell stories about history, family, or nature

OLI

Chants without instruments, used at ceremonies and funerals

HULA

<strong>Hula Kahiko:</strong> the old, sacred style with drums and chanting

<strong>Hula 'Auana:</strong> the modern, gentler style with guitars and singing

Singing is more important than instruments

Men often use falsetto — a very high, floating voice that sounds almost like a bird call

The rhythm comes from nature: waves, wind, and footsteps

The Instruments

Traditional Instruments (Before Europeans Arrived)

IPU

A hollow gourd used as a drum for hula

PAHU

A tall drum made from a tree trunk and sharkskin. Used in sacred ceremonies

PŪ'ILI

Two split bamboo sticks that dancers hit together

NOSE FLUTE

A bamboo flute played with the nose, not the mouth. Has a soft, breathy sound

Instruments That Came Later

'UKULELE

Brought by Portuguese workers in the 1880s. Looks like a small guitar. The name means "jumping flea" because fingers move so fast across the strings

SLACK KEY GUITAR

Mexican cowboys left guitars in Hawaii in the 1830s. Hawaiians loosened the strings to create a deep, ringing sound. Called Kī Hō'alu

STEEL GUITAR

A Hawaiian invention from the 1880s. A metal bar slides along the strings, making a smooth, crying sound. Later changed country and blues music in America!

Hawaiian Reggae — "Jawaiian"

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How Reggae Got to Hawaii

Jamaican reggae arrived in the 1970s and became huge in the 1980s

Hawaiians connected with reggae because the lyrics are about the SAME things Hawaiians care about: loving your land, fighting injustice, staying proud of your culture, and believing in God

What is "Jawaiian"?

Jamaica + Hawaii = Jawaiian

The beat comes from reggae, but the singing and guitar often sound Hawaiian

Lyrics are usually in English or Hawaiian Pidgin — a local creole language — so everyday people can relate

Famous Artists

OLD SCHOOL:

Bruddah Waltah, Ho'aikane, Kapena

NEW SCHOOL:

J Boog, Kolohe Kai, Maoli, Fiji, The Green

Why It Matters

Jawaiian is the sound of modern "Local" identity in Hawaii. It's music for driving along the coast, for backyard parties, and for remembering home.

Modern Hawaiian Music

In the 1970s, Hawaiians started a Cultural Renaissance — a movement to bring back the Hawaiian language, hula, and old music styles. Artists mixed these traditions with modern sounds.

Other Artists Today

Jack Johnson

Folk singer from the North Shore of O'ahu

Paula Fuga

Mixes traditional Hawaiian with soul and reggae

Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole

A modern artist keeping the old chanting traditions alive

Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole

In 1993, he recorded 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World' in a single take at 3:00 in the morning.

It became one of the most beloved songs in the world. It represents Hawaii to millions of people who have never been there.

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Music Examples to Play

Let's listen to some examples. I'll play one or two of these for you now.

Traditional Slack Key Guitar

Leonard Kwan — "Ke'ala's Mele"

"This is pure Hawaiian slack key guitar. No words — just a story told through the strings."

Leonard Kwan Ke'ala's Mele

Hawaiian Reggae (Jawaiian)

J Boog — "Let's Do It Again"

"Smooth, modern island reggae. This is what you hear on Hawaiian radio today."

J Boog Let's Do It Again

The Global Classic

Israel "IZ" — "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

"The song that introduced Hawaiian music to the world."

IZ Somewhere Over the Rainbow

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Remember These Three Things

Hawaiian music is about MEMORY. It keeps history alive.

It keeps CHANGING. From ancient chants, to the ukulele, to reggae — Hawaiian music absorbs new sounds but never forgets its roots.

It's music with a PURPOSE. Whether it's a sacred chant, a love song, or a reggae anthem about the land — the music is always saying something important about being Hawaiian.

Mahalo — Thank You