There’s something different and special about jamming with other ladies (in contrast with an all male or a mixed gender group). It feels like going to an all-female luxury spa, such as the Korean body scrub spa in Seattle some five years ago. You can let your hair down.
On Maui, I participated in two wahine kanikapila. Wahine means female. At the one in Kahului, we play and sing through as many songs as possible, with hardly any pause or chit chat. Then we break for lunch when we are thoroughly exhausted and famished. More recently, I joined a group in Kihei. There was chit chat between the songs, probably because we were getting acquainted.
Every Monday between 11:00 and 11:30 am HST, we gather at Lehua’s outdoor garage. We flip through the He Mele Aloha book, which is full of Hawaiian songs (lyrics and chords). Lehua and her sister Lana seem to know every single song. They harmonize beautifully together. I feel like I can ask them anything about Hawaiian language, culture, and song.
An hour or so later, we end the marathon by bringing out the food. Lehua always makes a plastic container of ice water for me. Over potluck lunch, we chit chat. And then I head for the swimming pool for my daily lap swim.
After 3 Chord Thursday, I headed south on Pi’ilani Highway to Kihei, the most populated town on the island of Maui. There were two ladies I wanted to meet in person. One offered her handmade (hand-sewn) ukulele straps when I started teaching the ukulele in Boston. She selected her cotton fabric from textile stores on Maui: Hawaiian, Japanese, ukulele, and other colorful patterns. The other lady has taken my music classes in Zoom. I was on a mission to meet as many people I’ve met or liaised with online as possible —- in person.
We asked if the house owner’s friend could take a photo of us when she stood up to leave. Instead of a photo, she made a short video which I edited below.
What I love most about in-person jams is the vocal harmony. Sometimes, we all want to do harmony!