Kaula Piko: The Source of Strings

# Kaula Piko: The Source of Strings

New exhibit explores the global influence and contributions of Hawai'i's musicians

*Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, in partnership with Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings, presents its newest original exhibit, Kaula Piko: The Source of Strings*, which will explore the lineage of Hawai'i's lasting contributions to world music. The pioneering influence of Hawaiian musicians in both performance styles and the actual design and construction of instruments is of international significance, yet little known. Through a collection of historical photos, rare instruments, musical artifacts and compelling multimedia storytelling, the exhibit will unveil how musicians, composers, and artisans from Hawai'i influenced the design of stringed instruments and shaped the soundscape of today's popular music. The exhibit will be on display from July 18, 2020 – Jan. 31, 2021 in the J.M. Long Gallery.

Kaula Piko will display rare and historical instruments associated with music's most influential figures from Hawai'i and beyond, ranging from King David Kalākaua to Mekia Kealakai to Johnny Cash. Numerous archival photos and illustrations from Bishop Museum's collections will be on display, in addition to objects from private collectors. A large, eye-catching screen on one wall of the Long Gallery will show film clips of performers along with interviews and musical instruction clips; and a concise, large-format timeline will illustrate the progression of Hawaiian music's international spread. Families will even be able to try their hand at lap steel guitar at an interactive station.

At the heart of the exhibit are astonishing yet seldom-told stories of the ingenuity and creativity of Hawaiian musicians and their lasting influence on popular music as we know it today. One such example is that of the electric guitar, which may not have ever come into existence if it weren't for the pioneering young Hawaiian, Joseph Kekuku. In the 1890s, Kekuku invented what became known as the steel guitar. The steel guitar – along with the ʻukulele – would eventually sweep the United States and the world in popularity. The political turmoil of Hawaiʻi in the 1890s, when the Kingdom was overthrown and Hawaiʻi was eventually made a Territory of the United States, was the backdrop for an extremely influential group of Hawaiian musicians and singers who performed in the United States and internationally. Some of these men and women achieved huge popularity, appearing in live performances and traveling tent shows, and on radio broadcasts, Hollywood movies, and recordings. Kekuku's acoustic steel guitar remained central to the sound of Hawaiian music, and was eventually electrified in the late 1920s to amplify its sound. As popular as this invention was, its more long-term effect was to lead to the development of the modern electric guitar in the 1930s. The electric guitar skyrocketed in popularity from the 1950s and onwards with the growth of rock music, and has remained the most well-known element of American popular music heard all over the globe. All this can be traced back to the invention of Kekuku's steel guitar.

Kaula Piko: The Source of Strings was created in partnership with Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings. For more information about the exhibit, or to purchase an advance admission ticket to the museum, visit www.BishopMuseum.org.

Bishop Museum Admission, Parking & Hours

To control museum capacity, Bishop Museum offers 500 daily tickets. Tickets must be reserved in advance for one of the following two time periods:

• Morning, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Afternoon, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

If you currently hold a pre-purchased admission ticket that is still valid, those tickets will be honored on a space-available basis on the day of attendance.

The safety and health of our visitors and employees remains our highest priority, and new measures have been enacted to keep the Museum a safe place to visit. Please visit our Health & Safety page.

Special Offer: Keiki admission is free for Hawaii residents and military families through July 31, 2020.

General Admission

Adults: $24.95 Seniors (65+): $21.95 Youth (4–17): $16.95 Children (3 and under): Free

Hawai'i Residents, Hawai'i College Students & Military with ID

Adults: $14.95 Seniors (65+): $12.95 Youth (4–17): $10.95 Children (3 and under): Free

Children age 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Parking

$5 per car per visit; free for members with sticker.

Hours

Open every day from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Bishop Museum Café by Highway Inn offers a limited menu of Hawaiian plates, poke bowls, sandwiches, and snacks from 10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. daily. Museum members receive a 10% discount with their membership card.