February marks both Black History Month and Hawaiian Language Month (Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi), and a new album, "Pōpoloheno: Songs of Resilience and Joy," combines the two in an unexpected way. The album's first single debuted Wednesday.
Four-time Grammy-winning artist Kalani Pe’a is featured on the track “Kamakakehau," honoring his friend and fellow musician Kamakakehau Fernandez. The project also features contributions from notable musicians like Azure McCall and Kawika Alfiche.
The Conversation spoke with Māhealani Uchiyama, the composer behind the project. Uchiyama highlighted stories about Africans and their descendants in Hawaiʻi, and shared some of the unreleased music.
Uchiyama said her path to becoming kumu hula of Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine of Berkeley, California, began when she was 12, and she learned to dance hula in Washington, D.C. The full album will be released in June.
The Pōpoloheno project was sponsored by the Gerbode Foundation, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Feb. 27, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
