On May 8 – 10, 2009, I was part of the teaching staff at the first annual Koke‘e Music Camp on the island of Kaua‘i, along with Hawaiian language professors Puakea Nogelmeier, Keola Donaghy, Kaliko Beamer-Trapp and fellow musician Walt Keale. We taught Haku Mele, the art of Hawaiian poetry and song to about 60 bright eyed participants during that weekend.
It was here that I befriended a 78 year old Hawaiian-Chinese man named uncle Joe Kanakahelelā Goo, a slight gentleman who came up to my shoulder in height. During the next three days, I heard snippets of his life, of his three daughters and of his one true love who passed away unexpectedly three years ago. He was a man who was hurting deep inside, because his lifelong partner was gone.
