The International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi is marking its 15th anniversary by highlighting the instrument’s rich history. The festival is set to take place on July 27 at Kapiʻolani Park.
Hawaiʻi State Archivist Adam Jansen recently spoke with The Conversation about the global impact of the ʻukulele and the significance of the annual festival.
Introduced to Hawaiʻi in 1879 by Portuguese immigrants, the ʻukulele has a storied history. The Hawaiʻi State Archives is dedicated to preserving vintage instruments, including the ʻukulele.
At this year’s festival, the Archives will present 10 vintage ʻukuleles with their original gut strings for attendees to play. These natural gut strings, made from animal intestines, offer a unique playing experience.
Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, as they can sign up for 10-minute slots to try out these historic instruments. “It’s a unique opportunity for those who have never played an instrument with original gut strings,” Jansen noted.
In addition to showcasing vintage instruments, the Archives will host an education zone at the festival. This area will feature early 20th-century music materials from the State Archives’ “Hawaiian Music Archives” project.
“We are in the process of digitizing historic sheet music, Edison cylinders, Edison diamond discs, and old 78 shellac records,” Jansen explained. “Our goal is to make everything out of copyright available online so that people around the world can access it. These songs offer valuable insights and the stories they tell are still relevant today.”
