Hapa

This band is absolutely amazing and listening to their music takes me back to my childhood on the islands in the early 90’s. My dad had this album on cassette tape and would play it. Many classic songs and a definite favorite. I can’t say enough hope things about this band. They definitely represent Hawaii and the island music scene. Mahalo nui loa!

This album always reminds me of my first trip to Hawaii - and Maui in particular: trade winds, rainbows, beauty beyond imagination, and amazing people. My heart will firever belong there, and Hapa's music always takes me home.

Whenever I get homesick, all I have to do is close my eyes and play this album.

These guys are modern Mozart in that they compose songs of scenery, climate and culture. If you've ever driven up Olinda Road and then listened to this song with eyes closed, you can recall the uphill climb, turns and dips with the smell of eucalyptus trees, gentle mist against the windshield and cool breeze against your face. Artists strive their whole lives to do this and yet, Hapa manages to do this with every song. Amazing! I also think John Lennon is pleased to have these guys honor his 'oh my love' song. Thanks brau's. <3.

It doesn't get any betta!

Okay, the album title needs some explaining, as "hapa" does mean half, but should not be connected to the word haole in talking about Mr. Flannigan or any other white person for that matter. To understand what haole means you have to understand what the native people of Hawaii saw when they first encountered the missionaries and other foreign white people that visited the islands; most of these people did little to help the Hawaiian people, bringing diseases (i.e. small pox) and misplaced ideologies, and deserve to be held accountable - same as the many people who do no good for the native culture to this day (of various ethnicities, not just white). The word haole actually means the absence of "ha" or the breath of life that the Hawaiians shared by exchanging breath when they greeted each other by the touching of forheads. Because the white people did not do this, it was easy to identify them as haole; "ole" meaning none. Therefor to say haole as a reference to white people in general is misplaced, as many white people including myself have not lost this understanding of the word nor the respect that is due to the Hawaiian people, in being guests on the islands - I pray that the Hawaiians will have sovereignty again. Ikaika imua na poe o hawaii! Maikai na mele o Hapa!

Though iTunes has some of the major artists, they need to add more! Like Ho'okena! CLICK YES IF YOU AGREE!

Next to the Flying Dutchman, HAPA is the best music group to come from the island of Maui.

In January, 20001, I found myself in Hawaii for the first time with the lady of my dreams. The relationship turned out to be "star-crossed," the grist of bad romance novels. The last day we were in Honolulu, after a week in Maui, we were killing time in a store before heading to the airport, and this album was on the sound system, playing Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai. Almost never do I stop and listen to background music, but this was so compelling I asked the clerk who it was. She instantly recognized it as Hapa and I bought the CD. I have since bought everything they've recorded. The music is expressive, lovely, and finely crafted, and while the romance in Hawaii didn't endure, the music did. Highly recoomended.

Bought album on a whim on 1994 vacation. Just getting started on Hawaiian music and bought this one blind. WOW!! Could not stop playing it and always brings tears to my eyes. It was really cool tourista driving on upcountry Olinda Road with "Olinda Road" playing on the car stereo. God blessed me the next year when "the boys" performed in a local SoCal theater and I took all my friends. 13 years later my buds still talk about it.