maoli arts: songs in half white

Hapa haole literally means half white. It is a music form some sneer at as a form of cultural colonialism. Others defend it as a valid part of maoli history. Honolulu Star-Bulletin Features: "'Sometimes the music is done with traditional Hawaii 4/4 time, but the words are in English, so that makes it half English, half Hawaiian. Sometimes the words are in Hawaiian, but the beat is syncopated, so that makes it hapa haole. Not necessarily all Hawaiian songs with haole words are hapa haole. Sometimes the words are Hawaiian and the music is not.'" - Kumu hula Noenoelani Zuttermeister on hapa haole.