HAMAU is an acronym, and so much more. The letters signify Health & welfare, Aid & awareness, Management with change, Aloha 100% always, and Unifying organizations. But this is not simply a new, nonprofit entity. This entity is laser-focused. For HAMAU’s purpose “…is to educate and inspire the next generation of performing artists”. HAMAU seeks to do this by ensuring that there are “…fair economic and working conditions in live venues, recording studios and in the digital domain”.
Unlike many of us, working artists (musicians, producers, engineers, et al.) work on their own. They often seek their own insurance and handle their own medical costs, to name just a few areas of self-sustenance. HAMAU wants to help artists, and also to bring music back with local artists performing live for locals and visitors alike.
We all benefit from and enjoy the great, unique sounds of Hawaiian music, however you define that term. Old skool kine, classic, Jawaiian, leo ki`eki`e, slack key, pedal steel, ‘Ūkēkē, … whatever form of mele you enjoy or whets your palette, it comes from the heart and soul of some of the kindest and most hard-working people we know. And HAMAU pledges to provide a safety net “…for the health, welfare and well-being of all Hawai`i’s musicians and artists in the entertainment industry”.
I first learned of HAMAU three weeks ago while being serenaded on Hawai`i Island by HAMAU advocates (Brother) Noland Conjugación, Kelly Boy DeLima, and Gaylord Holomalia. It’s not an easy life, and there’s a rite of passage and a passion as one moves up in the world of performing arts. HAMAU’s “simple” aim is to make sure that these beloved entertainers have a voice, are heard, and can look forward to retiring some day with the same, basic creature comforts that so many retirees look forward to as they continue to be productive into their golden years.
HAMAU and its board pledges to work to advocate and promote as it evolves in the coming years, including “…a space for collaboration” to be located downtown. It plans to work alongside business leaders of the Hawai`i Executive Collaborative and the tourism industry “…to build the ecosystem for performing arts in Waikiki and other resort areas in Hawai`i”. “Hamau” means to hush, be still, or silent. To help preserve this vital cultural resource of our islands, HAMAU cannot be silent. Stay tuned…
Think about it…