Hawaii State Society of Washington, DC

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HSS ‘Ukulele Hui

HSS ʻUkulele Hui

by Carol Takafuji, Director

The Hawai‘i State Society of Washington, D.C. ʻUkulele Hui has been in existence for 20 years. The members meet weekly for not only for good music, food, and fun, but also the opportunity to learn to play on the versatile instrument, the ʻukulele and sing songs of different genres. Throughout the years, we have performed at many different venues and occasions in the metropolitan D.C. area. We have performed at fundraisers, multicultural programs, lū‘au for various organizations, etc. More than two-thirds of the performances are gratis. Promoting the interests of HSS and maintaining its mission statement, we are true ambassadors of the Society in promoting and perpetuating the culture of Hawai‘i in song and dance, spreading aloha spirit everywhere we go.

The members pay nothing for lessons/tuition. The only requirement is that you be a good standing member of HSS. Our advertising is through the HSS’s website, Facebook, HSS eNupepa, word-of-mouth, etc. Generated income has defrayed some of the costs of our uniforms throughout the years.

The Hawai‘i State Society of Washington, D.C. ʻUkulele Hui at our annual concert at the U.S. Botanic Garden on Saturday, September 21, 2019.

Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī (State song of Hawaiʻi) performed by the Hui

HSS ‘Ukulele Hui Continues To Spread Aloha

By Carol Takafuji

The ‘Ukulele Hui of Hawai‘i State Society of Washington, D.C., continues to spread the “Aloha Spirit” of Hawai‘i in song and dance to diverse audiences in the metropolitan area. The Hui usually meets every Wednesday evening. HSS members who are interested in learning more about Hawaiian music and how to play the ʻukulele, making new friends, eating ‘ono potluck food and sharing experiences with the Hui ʻohana are welcome to join. Music is not restricted to Hawaiian music, as different genres of music are learned and performed, to include popular and seasonal music. More performances are planned for the remainder of this year and into the Holiday Season.

The Hui performs at HSS events such as the King Kamehameha Lei Draping Ceremony and the Holiday Party. In collaboration with the hula troupe Hui O Ka Pua ‘Ilima, the HSS ʻUkulele Hui has performed at multicultural festivals; elementary schools; volunteer appreciation functions; community fairs and centers; and university-sponsored events, including Hawaiʻi Clubs’ luʻau at The George Washington University and Georgetown University. The Hui has given concerts at the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Wolf Trap Farm for the Performing Arts Children’s Program, and the National Christmas Tree Festival on the Mall in Washington, D.C. Outreaching to those with special needs has been a welcome challenge and extremely rewarding, such as performing for children who are blind, people recovering from substance abuse, military veterans recovering from wounds from their war experiences, and individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The Hui has enjoyed performing for audiences in retirement, nursing and assisted living homes, who recall vividly their earlier days in the Islands with the Hui’s musical performances. The Hui has also welcomed veterans of WWII and the Korean Conflict on Honor Flights to our Nation’s capital with patriotic music.