Kālai Pō

 Author

 Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu, kumu hula & founder of the Academy Of Hawaiian Arts.

Over 20 years ago I moved the hālau across the breeze way. A whole 4 paces from door way to door way. Seems easy enough but there was a nerve wracking element to the move. Funny how it all panned out tho. The move was a new start in a new direction, but there were a few more steps to go. If life has seasons it would have been my spring. It was a time when self reflection, discovery, imagination and what some call artistry was in full-bloom. It was one of those times when questions needed answers and the norms didnʻt suffice or was too difficult to understand. But, what became of it was a new mkh production called “Pō, Beyond The Horizon”. Now what would you call that? 

The move was a new start in a new direction, but there were a few more steps to go. If life has seasons it would have been my spring.

Let’s take a short walk on the Hawaiian side. “Pō” most commonly refers to night or darkness, it also means ignorance, not stupid or dumb, it means not sure of, or simply donʻt know. The “horizon” marks the farthest extremes, like the line that separates the sky from the sea, and here it marks a theoretical line of ignorance and understanding. A Hawaiian word that means “horizon” is polikua. Polikua literally means behind the heart. Now isnʻt that odd? When I came upon this word I knew it was what I was looking for. It referred to the inner extremes verses an extraverted view.

Thinking back the word “artist” was a big topic, it may not have been the fuel that propelled me, but maybe a spark that ignited the flame. I remember that it was what people called me and I couldnʻt acknowledge that, because I didnʻt have a clue what “artist” meant, and still donʻt. Then again itʻs all pretty convoluted anyway, that entire time is more or less a blur, except for the stories, compositions, mele and choreography that were produced from it. Many of which was put away after just one showing. What would be clearly absurd, if you only knew, was the amount of construction and development it took to make that a physical reality. Then again the reasons for locking it up didnʻt seem absurd, at that time. Basically this is the same situation Iʻve had to endure ever since I started halau. Coincidently, these so called chronicles are actually the records of that time. The steps to what some might now call, madness…  

Steps to madness: musical score composed by mkh 1997

The chronicles of Polikua arenʻt just fanciful stories. I guess if I really thought about it, itʻs what Hawaiians would call the kaona or the hidden meaning, more or less the story behind the story. Starting at the beginning is the first composition, Pō Nui Auwaea. The title translates to “The great remoteness”. It came about when I found difficulty in keeping the faith. The more I immersed myself into hula the more I started leaning to an indigenous belief. Studying the Kumulipo was by no means any easier. The hā factor (four, forty, forty thousand) was too deep and it made no sense, well not to me at that moment. What I did gather from it all was the idea that it all had a pō element, the element of uncertainty, or unknowing. This gave me the chorus lines, Kama o ka pō, hānau ʻia o ka pō, komoʻia i ke ao. Child of the night, born of ignorance, welcomed into enlightenment. 

Pō nui auwaea, i po’ina’ia                                The great remote darkness is forgotten
No ka wā mamao, i lō’ihi hala                          A time, long since past

 The cosmic perceptions of time are ages and eras. The terrestrial perceptions of time are stages, as of birth, growth, understanding, maturity and death.

‘O ke kama, kama, kama, hānau’ia o ka pō    A child, was born of the night

‘O ke kama, kama, kama, komoʻia i ke ao      The child, entered into the light

Hulihia ke aka  kahea: huliau                            Shadows were overturned response: searching
E hulihele ʻia    kahea: hulipau                          Everywhere searched response: everywhere
Hulilua ʻia ma ke ala o ke ao                             Explored was the path of light 

Kama o ka pō, hānauʻia o ka pō                       The child, born of the night
E eō e, e eō e, e eō e                                          Give reply
Mai kinohi loa                                                      From the very source

Mai ka pō kūlipo                                                 From the extreme darkness
Komo ke ao                                                         The light enters
Komo ka honua                                                  The world enters
Komo ka i’a                                                          The swimmers enter (fish)
Komo ka mea kokolo                                         The crawlers enter
Komo ka holoholona                                         The runners enter
Komo ka manu lele                                            The flyers enter

‘O ke kama, kama, kama, hānau’ia o ka pō    A child, was born of the night

‘O ke kama, kama, kama, komoʻia i ke ao      The child, entered into the light

Kama o ka pō, hānauʻia o ka pō                       The child, born of the night
E eō e, e eō e, e eō e                                           Give reply

E kama o ka pō….                                                Child of the pō

This new composition lent itself to a new interpretive style of hula, later called the hula kuʻi pahu. A style of hula pahu (drum dance) that had the likeness of Japanese Taiko, without the sticks. It’s not what you would call the norm, but once you get past the captivating power of the drums, you realized that it doesn’t sway away from traditional aspects of hula, except for the flare of Polynesian energy. It was truly a new creation and befitting the co-creation story entitled, Kālai Pō - The carver of darkness. The remnants of this dance now occupy a public storage, but what does remain is the recording Pō Nui Auwaea. This recording has been in continual use for 20+ years and is still the music of choice for hula classes. Created by musical aficionados Eric Lindberg and Jory Cunningham, who created several renditions of the mele. 

If you love stories, youʻll love this…

Get your 365 day pass and listen to Kumzʻs original story Kālai Pō. Take a walk on the darkside with this urban legend of creation, the first chapter in “The Chronicles of Polikua”. Youʻll appreciate knowing the story behind the story when you listen to the creative versions of Pō Nui Auwaea, including the only actual live recording known today.

Click here for details