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A Tribute to Moe Keale
June 22, 2003

 

Greetings,

"When an old person dies, it is like a library burning."
~ Alex Haley, ROOTS


Well, at age 62, Moe Keale was not yet a old person.  An old soul, perhaps. For about a year, he too was Heaven's Reject because on March 12, 2001, Moe 'died' for a few minutes before he was gently booted out of Heaven. In his case, he was shoo-ed away.

It was a heart attack that felled this giant of a man while he was, of all things, exercising for his health at a 24-Fitness center on Oahu's windward side where he lived. While "dead," Moe saw his nephew and fellow Hawaiian music entertainer  Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole, who passed on in 1997, coming through  -- not the pearly gates --  but the threshold of a "7-Eleven" store.

In pidgin, IZ told his Uncle Moe, " E, Unko, you no can come insai yet; dis Heaven. Not yo' time. (Translation: Eh, Uncle, you can't come in here; this is Heaven. It is not yet your time.)" 

Moe was resuscitated by police officers, and whoosh, back to Earth, he returned. The Honolulu paper wrote about it here:

>> Honolulu Star-Bulletin:  A Second Chance

A year later, on April 15, 2002, it was Moe's time.  His mission was accomplished.  

>> Honolulu Star-Bulletin:  Hawaii Entertainer Dies at 62

It been a year since that happened. Last week, on June 15, 2003, a large group of Moe's colleagues, friends and supporters gathered at The Shannon Center in Whittier, California for an evening of tribute to Moe in song, dance, and reminiscing.

Just as I type those words, I hear Aloha Joe on his Internet Hawaiian music radio show describing that night:  

"It was a four -- no, a five -- Kleenex night," says Aloha Joe (AJ). 

Yes, it  was that kind of night.  DH and I kept mopping each other's tears that kept streaming down our cheeks.  Don't get me wrong.  It was not at all maudlin or depressing.  That night of tribute was, instead, a joyous night of celebration of a life well-lived.  We were often laughing through our tears. 

Now Aloha Joe is announcing that he is dedicating a song from his wife Helen to me from Keali`i Reichel's CD, MELELANA.  Last Saturday, she dedicated "I Will Be There" to me from the same album. This song holds significant personal meaning for me. Almost weekly, another regular listener, "Gi", requests it for his friend in Hawai`i. When that listener did not call in last week, Helen remembered.    

Aloha Joe says he's picking a song from the Melelana CD that is linked to Moe.  Oooo, chiiiicken skin (that visceral sensation that happens when the Spirit is moved).  Aloha Joe recalls a conversation with Moe soon after MELELANA was released.  Moe, he said, could barely contain his excitement that Keali`i Reichel had recorded his song.

"And he (Keali`i) did such a good job," said a thrilled Moe to Aloha Joe.

I feel the warmth of Moe's smile, as we both listen to Keali`i's rendition.  I imagine that Moe is delighted that his song , Hanohano `O Maui, is being heard around the world on computer radio.  

Moe, am I glad those head slaps of yours go right through me!  And yes, Moe, you caught my attention. I caught the hint.  Today, I will begin to build that "library" in cyberspace for you.  With Aloha.

Give my Aloha to Braddah IZ.  

~~~~~

An E-Mail to Aloha Joe

Mahalo e Helen and AJ for Hanohano `O Maui... It is breathtakingly beautiful.  I sense Moe is doing some heavenly nudging with your dedication and song selection from Keali`i's MELELANA. You see, I was in the midst of posting an entry about Moe in my personal journal just as you dedicated the song to me on the computer waves.
 
I'm feeling that Moe wants me to share parts of that personal entry to a wider audience. His way of telling me that his unique way of sharing Aloha is not for my eyes -- and memory -- only. 
 
I was first introduced to Moe at IZ's funeral. That week, just before our Hawaiian language class at UH, Manoa began, we were leisurely browsing a Ward Warehouse record store and came upon Moe's CD -- IMAGINE -- the one with the lei around the world. A picture worth a thousand words. Of the hundreds, if not thousands of CDs in that store, it's the one that caught our attention. 
 
Well, we absolutely fell in love with Hanohano `O Maui at "first hear."  That night, I happened to be talking on the phone with Uncle Charlie Maxwell on Maui and held the phone to the boom box so he could hear the song. He too immediately fell in love with it. 
 
Uncle Charlie happened to be looking for a hula song for his wife's (Aunty Nina's) ha~lau to perform at the Merrie Monarch Festival.  He found it in Moe's song and that year, because the MM competition is televised state-wide, Moe's enchanting song went from somewhat obscure to maximally exposed. 
 
Remember that Keali`i is, himself, a kumu hula and FROM MAUI.  This song caught his ear, and he too must have fell in love with it. It was co-written with Moe by Kahikina de Silva, a young woman who expressed her love for Maui in Hawaiian words. Moe put her lyrics to music.  Kahikina happens to be the daughter of yet another kumu hula, Mapuana de Silva, who is also a regular Merrie Monarch participant.
 
For us older folks who cherish the language, Kahikina, represents the `o~pio (youth) who resoundingly assure us that the language will live on.  
 
Keali`i featured Kahikina and another talented, young composer, `Iliahi Paredes, on the beautifully produced video portion on the MELELANA CD, which also plays on your computer as a DVD. Please check that out if you haven't; MELELANA's technological capabilities is stratospheric, yet remain 'hidden' and unexplored by most, especially those still relatively new to the computer.  It is a masterpiece on many levels, chockful with "goodies" that are not obvious.
 
Some things happen in roundabout way.  This is one of them.  And you two are now a part of this circle.
 
So, in his way, with your timely dedication, Moe is making sure I pay attention. His way of "slapping" my head (smile).  I am paying attention... his message of Aloha will go further than if you had not so thoughtfully dedicated Hanohano `O Maui to me.

 

 

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September 29, 2001
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