Kumu Kawehi Punahele was born
in Honolulu in 1962. His father was from Oahu and
his mother from Molokai’i. Kawehi was raised in
a musical family…his grandfather played guitar with
the Kalama Boys on steamer ships that sailed between
California and Hawaii from the 1920’s to the 40’s.
His father, although a bus driver by trade, also
played steel guitar and guitar.
In intermediate
school (7th and 8th grade), Kawehi joined a Polynesian
group and his teacher, Mrs. Phelmet (a Kamahameha
school graduate) saw great promise in his voice
and vocal inflections. She pulled him aside and
told him she would teach him how to chant. That
proved to be the beginning of his education in Hawaiian
music and traditional hula.
After completing
intermediate school, Kumu was accepted as freshman
to the Kamahameha School. It was there that he was
introduced to many cultural authorities such as
Nona Beamer (who taught hula), Wayne Chang, Robert
Cazimero and Napua Stevens. It was from their influence
that Kumu learned “how to be Hawaiian”.
In his sophomore
year, he audition for the Concert Glee group and
was accepted. Kawehi sang bass and, because it was
a performing group, they traveled to all the islands
performing concerts. This is where he learned more
about being Hawaiian and realized that his heritage
was not only important to who he was but it was
also acceptable.
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