HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2573
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to the state instrument.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1. The Legislature finds that there are sixteen adopted, designation and established official symbol (thirty-one) if you include each flower and color of the respective individual islands) of the State of Hawai‘i.  From the state motto "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono", translated to English to mean "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness" [L 1959, JR 4, §1; Supp, §14-5.3; HRS §5-9; am L 1979, c 145, §2], to the state plant: Kalo (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott), the Hawaiian word for taro [L 2007, c 37, §2; am L 2008, c 71, §1] these symbols are representative of all things unique solely to the State of Hawai‘i and its individual islands.  Missing from these symbols is the State Instrument.

     Throughout our history, no matter our place of origin, music has played an integral part on our lives.  While the ukulele "hailed originally from Portugal… one seldom remembers this, so native has it become to the islands." (Chairman Kittredge London, Our Hawai‘i (New York: MacMillan, 1917) 94.  Referenced by: John King and Jim Tranquada, A New History of the Origins and Development of the 'Ukulele, 1838-1915, (2003): 2).  Popularized by Hawaiian Royalty, plantation workers and musicians alike, the ukulele's fame continued to grow throughout our islands, the mainland and beyond.  Its first sightings can be traced back to, "as early as 1886, when Honolulu newspaper editor Augustus Marques noted [it] in an article on music in Hawai‘i." (Augustus Marques, "Music in Hawai‘i Nei," HAA (Honolulu: Thos. G. Thrum, 1886) 58.  Referenced by: John King and Jim Tranquada, A New History of the Origins and Development of the 'Ukulele, 1838-1915, (2003): 2).

     As we all have had to tighten our belts in wake of financial hardship, our different State Departments have continued to struggle with making budgets cuts to well deserving programs.  Amongst these losses are reductions in funding from the State Department of Education for music and art education.  Kindy Sproat may have said it best, "One 'ukulele and one soul can do a lot."

     Young and old, from the living to the legends, the ukulele has inspired musicians, recruited supporters and included fans with its beautiful sound and the camaraderie build from an impromptu jam session.  In light of our current fiscall constraints and in honor of our talented ukulele instructors and musicians throughout our island and the world, and our future ukulele artists, we would like to honor this truly amazing musical instrument and its history in Hawai‘i by proclaiming it the State Instrument.

     Section 2.  Chapter 5, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     ”§5-__  State Instrument.  The ukulele, (translated from Hawaiian in two parts where uke, "to strike" and lele, "to jump" is established and designated as the official ‘auwana instrument of the State.

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

     Section 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Official ‘Auwana State Instrument; Designation

 

Description:

Establishes and designates the ukulele as the official ‘auwana instrument of the State.

 

 

 

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