Singing Happy Birthday to Pauahi

Kamehameha School, Honolulu

These are the kids who came to our little village all the way from Honolulu yesterday. They came to sing Happy Birthday to Princess Pauahi (December 19, 1831–October 16, 1884).

I look forward to this every year. As we say in Hawaii – it give chicken skin. The kids sing the traditional late 19th century Hawaiian songs – which were long on perfect 5ths and Gregorian harmony. The Palace has very good acoustics for this type of music.

For one  hour a year peace and hope abides and hard edged cynicism retreats. It is a totally private event and I am honored be one of the 3 or 4 outsiders in attendance.

Here in the middle of the Pacific, we are more than a little concerned with the goings on  the Korean front.

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