Wai: Hawaiian Fresh Water Songs CD

The importance of fresh water, or wai, is reflected in numerous aspects of Hawaiian culture. Fresh water features prominently in Hawaiian place names, traditional land management systems, mo‘olelo (story-telling), and mele (poetry and songs). Many traditional and modern songs illustrate Hawaiian concepts of wai as a vital resource, a symbol for love and life, a source of enjoyment, and a big player in myths and legends. Lau Hawaiian Collective’s arrangements draw on sounds both familiar and uncommon to the Hawaiian Islands; vocals, ‘ukulele, ‘ili’ili (water-washed pebbles), guitar, and bass sometimes find company with glass harp, oud, finger cymbals, and electronic bow. This album celebrates humanity’s shared reverence for water and extends an invitation to explore the place of water in today’s world. Musicians on this album: Kim Sueoka, David Burk, Rahn Yanes, Shahzore Shah, and Dave Kapell.

Audio Samples