This volume features a selection of the ancient Hawaiian mele (songs and chants) collected and recorded in 1923 by anthropologist and musician Helen H. Roberts. The  Roberts Mele Collection, housed at the Bishop Museum Archives, is the most extensive compilation of Hawaiian mele from the early part of this century.

Mary Kawena Pukui, renowned Hawaiian scholar and kumu hula, provided English translations for the Roberts Collection mele so that readers unfamiliar with the language could appreciate the beauty of the Hawaiian compositions.  Na Mele Welo: Songs of Our Heritage faithfully presents the mele in the original Hawaiian texts, accompanied by Pukui's English translation.

The Hawaiians who shared their mele with Helen Roberts were traditional exponents of chant and hula, usually elderly people living in remote areas, the last places to feel the impact of change from the Western world. As these chanters died, they often took their knowledge with them. The publication of this book is part of the continuing effort—from the original Hawaiian contributors, to Helen Roberts, to Mary Kawena Pukui—to preserve these mele and make them available for study and enjoyment by this and future generations.

$21.95

isbn 978-0-930897-87-1

softcover, 6x9, 238pp.

Available at Bishop Museum's Shop Pacifica (phone 808-848-4158, email at shop@bishopmuseum.org ) and other fine bookstores throughout the islands.

Tags: Bishop Museum Press, Hawaiian song and chant, mary kawena pukui, Mele, Roberts Mele Collection

This entry was posted on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 am and is filed under Hawaii music, Hawaiian language, Hula & Hula Traditions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.