Irmgard Farden Aluli

"Auntie" Irmgard Keali'iwahinealohanohokahaopuamana Farden Aluli (October 7, 1911 – October 4, 2001) was a Hawaiian composer who wrote over 200 songs. In Hawaii, she was considered a haku mele, or maker of songs.[1] Aluli is considered the most prolific woman composer of Hawaii since Queen Lili'uokalani.[2] She is the fourth person to be honored twice for a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts (HARA).[3] She has also been inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame.

Biography

Aluli was born in Pu‘unoa, Lahaina, Maui T. Hawai‘i, on October 7, 1911.[4] She was born into a large family of 13 children (Margaret, Annie, Carl, Bernard, Emma, Maude, Aurora, Diana, Irmgard, Rudolph, Lurina, Edna & Llewellyn "Buddy)," One of Hawai‘i's foremost Musical Families.[2] Her parents are Annie Kahalepouli (Bastel Shaw) Farden and Charles (nee Karl) Kekua Farden and she is of Hawaiian, French-German and Hungarian ancestry.[4][5]

Aluli first started performing publicly with the Annie Kerr Trio in 1925.[1] She had an alto voice and could play piano, ‘ukulele, bass and guitar.[2] Aluli wrote her first song in 1935, called "Three Lovely White Blossoms;" followed shortly by "Peke Nui" AKA "Down on Maunakea Street."[2]

In 1937, she had her first hit, "Puamana," which was a song she wrote about her childhood home in Lahaina.[2] "Puamana" has become a standard for hula dancers and Hawaiian musicians.[6]

In 196s, she started a group called Puamana.[1] The group started out as a trio (Irmgard, her sister Diana and Close friend and Annie Kerr Alum, Thelma Anahū). In 1976, Irmgard amended the group include her daughters Neaulani Aluli Spaulding and Mihana ‘Āluli Souza. After Neaulani's death her niece, Luanna Farden McKenney and her daughter Aima McManus were added to the group..[3] A short film was created by Les Blank, Meleanna Meyer and Chris Simon about Puamana in 1991.[7] The film features the group and also includes interviews with Aluli.[8]

Aluli performed publicly often, until she hurt her hand in 1998.[1] In 1998, she was honored with her induction into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame.[2] She continued to play ukulele and made "occasional appearances until a few weeks before her death."[1] Aluli died on October 4 in Honolulu.[1]

In 2015, Puamana, which has continued under the leadership of her daughters and granddaughter earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from HARA.[3]

References
  1. Downes, Lawrence (13 October 2001). "Irmgard Aluli, 89, Hawaiian Singer Known as Auntie Irmgard". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  2. "Irmgard Farden Aluli". Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  3. Berger, John (1 May 2015). "11 Music Greats Being Given Top Honors". Honolulu Star. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016 – via HighBeam Research.
  4. Allen, Robert C. (2004). Creating Hawai'i Tourism: A Memoir. Bess Press. ISBN 9781573062060.
  5. Clark, John R. K. (1989). The Beaches of Maui County. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 9780824812461.
  6. Hune, Shirley; Nomura, Gail (2003). Asian/Pacific Islander American Women: A Historical Anthology (PDF). New York: NYU Press. p. 212. ISBN 9780814790977 – via Project Muse.
  7. "Paumana (1991)". Les Blank. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  8. Toth, Catherine E. (27 September 2013). "Hawaii International Film Festival turns 33, expands screenings to Kauai and Big Island". Hawai'i Magazine. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
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