Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Desha

Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Desha[1] (née Miller Jan. 16, 1864 - Feb. 28, 1949[2]) was a highly regarded Hawaiian composer, musician and kumu hula[3] during the Kingdom of Hawaii and throughout her life. She is descended from notable chiefly lines.[4]

Birth and early life

She was one of five children. Her father was Alika (Alexander) Mela (Miller). She, along with her mother, Kapuailohiawahine Kanuha Miller, herself a notable kumu hula, composer and dancer of her time, would teach the dance in a secret Hawaiian hālau. Isabella's sibling's included John Mahiʻai Miller/Kāneakua.[5]

Isabella married George Langhern Desha, the Postmaster for Hilo, Hawaii,[6] and had four children,[7] including William Francis Desha[8] and Helen Desha Beamer.[9] Writing in his book, "Learn to Play Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar", Keola Beamer states that Helen Beamer and her mother Isabella would dance the hula, Kūwili as a spontaneous celebration during family gatherings.[10]

She is the matriarch of the Beamer musical dynasty, considered the most notable musical family in the history of the Hawaiian islands.[11] The family includes award winning musicians, composers, historians and activists that have perpetuated Hawaiian culture and history for over 100 years.[12] She was forced to teach the hula in secret due to the puritanical beliefs of the Calvinist missionaries.[13]

Beamer method of hula

During the reign of King David Kalakaua, the formerly banned native dance known as hula was given a mandate from the monarch to be brought back to both the Royal Court and in public display.[14][15] Many of the hula master of the time came forward from different parts of the islands representing different parts of the old aliʻi kingdoms. Through this restoration of the dance, was preserved the identification of the original four aliʻi kingdoms through chant.[15]

Family tree

References
  1. The Journal of Intercultural Studies. Intercultural Research Institute, Kansai University of Foreign Studies. 2004. p. 2.
  2. Adria L. Imada (9 July 2012). Aloha America: Hula Circuits Through the U.S. Empire. Duke University Press. pp. 320–. ISBN 0-8223-5207-9.
  3. "Featured kupuna Individual interviews: Furtado, Eleanor Leilehua Becker". Hula Preservation Society. Hula Preservation Society. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  4. "David and Julia Desha Trust Bequeaths $500,000 to Kamehameha Schools". Pauahi Foundation. Kamehameha Schools. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  5. "pg composer B". Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  6. High-rise Hawaii. 1969. p. 202.
  7. Barbara Bennett Peterson (1984). Notable Women of Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 105–106. ISBN 978-0-8248-0820-4.
  8. DeWitt Collier Nogues (1983). Desha genealogy: a survey. ATEX Austin Inc.
  9. Jerry Hopkins (January 1982). The hula. Apa Productions (HK). p. 146.
  10. Mark Kailana Nelson; Keola Beamer (4 March 2011). Learn to Play Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar. Mel Bay Publications. p. 31. ISBN 978-1-61065-596-5.
  11. Robert C. Allen (2004). Creating Hawai'i Tourism: A Memoir. Bess Press. p. 203. ISBN 978-1-57306-206-0.
  12. Winona Desha Beamer (1 January 1984). Talking Story with Nona Beamer: Stories of a Hawaiian Family. Bess Press. pp. 76–. ISBN 978-0-935848-20-5.
  13. J. Arthur Rath (2006). Lost Generations: A Boy, a School, a Princess. University of Hawaii Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-8248-3010-6.
  14. Michael Haas (1998). Multicultural Hawaiʻi: The Fabric of a Multiethnic Society. Taylor & Francis. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-8153-2377-8.
  15. "Beamer-Solomon hula legacy celebrated at Kahilu (Feb. 5)". Hawaii 24/7. Hawaii 24/7. February 3, 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
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