1. Menehune Santa 2. Old Man Winter 3. Baby It's Cold Outside 4. E Mililani O Iehova 5. O Come All Ye Faithful/E Hele Mai 'Oukou 6. Yule Cool 7. Wa Kalikimaka 8. Santa's on the Go 9. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm 10. Merry Christmas Darling Cover art subject to change |
Kahele has an angelic voice and is known for his commitment to preservation of Hawaiian musical heritage, but he's not afraid to explore musical styles of all kinds. Thus "Back To Hilo For The Holidays" is both more Hawaiian and more diverse than it's predecessor. Kahele has written several originals for this set (his 2012 album contained just two), while also covering Christmas classics as diverse as "Cool Yule" and "Merry Christmas Darling".
Much as I love Hawaiian music, I don't know nearly enough about the culture. However, I can fill you in on one thing related to the original song that leads off the album, "Menehune Santa". The Menehune are a race that, according to the legends, inhabited the Islands before the first settlers arrived (and, if the stories are to be believed, for some time after). Standing anywhere from 6 inches to two feet tall, the Menehune lived deep in the forests. Strong and industrious, they were thought to be tremendous engineers, building temples and roads and irrigation ditches magically overnight. And, yes, they worked only at night, so as not to be seen by others. They also are described as mischievous and the lore holds that they still come out at night to play tricks on people and, sometimes, finishing off those household projects you haven't gotten around to yourself. Since the Menehune accomplish their great works in a single night (with a little magic), Kuana's song imagines that Santa, himself, must be Menehune. and that's your lesson in Island mythology for the day.
Mele Kalikimaka, y'all. A hui hou kākou.