Braddah IZ, as this Hawaiian superstar was lovingly called by his
fans and friends, was the most influential singer of Hawaiian music
since the early 1990s until his death at the age of only 38 years.
This huge man had the most gentle and yet intense voice, which still
touches the hearts of people who listen to his recordings.
His songs are seasoned with a lot of soul, heartfelt longing and
love, with humor and sadness at the same time. He sang about love.
The love between people, the love for his people, the love for his
aina, his land, the love for good food and the love for life itself.
He became popular outside Hawaii with his version of "Over the
rainbow/What a wonderful world" that was used in the soundtrack of
the movies “Meet Joe Black” and "Finding Forrester" and lately it
could be heard in "50 First Dates." You can find it on his album
"Facing Future" that was released in 1993.
Israel war born in 1959 on the island of Oahu to Henry Kakeialoha
Naniwa und Evangeline Leinani Kamakawiwoole. He grew up right
outside Waikiki in a part of Honolulu called Kaimuki. At the age of
11, he started playing music together with his brother Skippy.
A few years later, his family moved to Makaha on the leeward side
of Oahu. One day IZ was playing his ukulele by the beach and met
Moon Kauakahi, who invited him over for a little jam session. This
was the beginning of a successful band, the Makaha Sons of Niihau
that included IZ, his brother Skippy, Moon Kauakahi, Sam Gray and
Jerome Koko.
They quickly became popular entertainers and toured Hawaii and
the continental U.S. for several years from the late 70s through the
1980s. They created 10 albums together. His brother Skippy died at a
young age in 1982, the same year that IZ got married to his
childhood love, Marlene. Together they had a daughter, Wehi.
By 1990 IZ was ready to do his first solo album. It was called
Kaanoi. This was the beginning of his amazing solo career. Besides
the rainbow song, his famous album "Facing Future" contains hits
like "Hawaii 78," a moving song with a haunting melody and a voice
expressing powerful emotion that cannot be escaped.
This is one of the songs in which he passionately expresses his
deep love for his people and his land. Especially in the later years
of his career, IZ became more and more expressive about his wish for
Hawaiian independence and about Hawaiian rights. His passion and
involvement were and still are contagious. It was this what made him
a hero on these islands.
The songs "E Ala E," his cover-version of "Starting all Over
Again" and "Living in a Sovereign Land" are other examples. Besides
these powerful songs, he recorded beautiful love songs and ballads
as well as traditional Hawaiian songs and songs that are more on the
humorous side.
In 1997, IZ received several Na Hoku Hanohano Awards from the
Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts. He was the male vocalist of the
year, the favorite entertainer of the year, had the album of the
year and also the island contemporary album of the year. He could
not attend the award ceremony as he was in a hospital and had to
watch it on television from his bed.
IZ did not only have a huge voice, passion and spirit. He had a
huge body as well and weighed around 750 pounds at some point. He
tried to battle his weight and save his health, but he also had an
illness of the thyroid, which ran in the family.
Israel Kamakawiwoole died on June 26th 1997 due to a respiratory
problem that was related to his weight. He was only 38 years old.
Before his ashes were scattered into the ocean at Makua Beach, more
than 10,000 people paid their respects as his body lay in the
Honolulu Capitol Building. All day long the Hawaiian flag was on
half mast. Hawaii had lost one of her greatest sons.
His spirit lives on through his music. It is more popular than
ever and his recordings are still among the most sold albums of
Hawaiian music today. It was his message, his passion and sweet
cheerful personality that captured people then and that will always
touch everyone who listens.
Hawaii `78
Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i
(Being perpetuated (is) the sovereignty of the land to
righteousness/ to balance, Hawai`i)
Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i
If just for a day our king and queen
Would visit all these islands and saw everything
How would they feel about the changes of our land
Could you just imagine if they were around
And saw highways on their sacred grounds
How would they feel about this modern city life?
Tears would come from each other's eyes
As they would stop to realize
That our people are in great, great danger now
How would they feel?
Would their smiles be content, then cry
Chorus:
Cry for the gods, cry for the people
Cry for the land that was taken away
And then yet you'll find, Hawai'i.
Could you just imagine they came back
And saw traffic lights and railroad tracks
How would they feel about this modern city life
Tears would come from each other's eyes
As they would stop to realize
That our land is in great, great danger now.
All the fighting that the King has done
To conquer all these islands, now these condominiums
How would he feel if he saw Hawai'i nei?
How would he feel? Would his smile be content, then cry?
(E hana hou i ka hui)
(Repeat chorus)
Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i
Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i.
Always the love, aloha ę!
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