Album Notes

We are honored to present for your listening and reading audience KUPA'AINA: SIMPLE ISLAND PEOPLE an album derived from a new band, a new production company, a charter school and a community of friends, family and supporters inspired by music, culture, consciousness and education.

Short History of the Contributors:

Kupa'aina, which essentially means "a people familiar with a place," is a group of musicians drawn together from various garages, living rooms and backyards between Kahalu'u and Waianae. We have a love for our islands and traditional Hawaiian music and a desire to share that love with a larger audience in neo-traditional ways.

Kototama Productions ( "word soul") the album's producer was established by attorneys, Derek Kamiya and Kevin Chang, who were looking to get out of the legal business before they started, Brian Chun-Ming a live sound engineer who just finished fighting in Iraq, Tunji Heath an elder entertainment icon and Kelli Heath, a young surfer/songwriter looking to ride new sonic-waves.

The students and staff of Halau Ku Mana New Century Public Charter School (HKM) through their own creative effort and initiative, have contributed to this project in both song and inspiration. One track is written and performed by the students, and another is written by school staff. HKM offers students alternatives in education using art, cultural values and practices and the natural environment as learning tools. A portion of album royalties will be go to the school, which currently is housed at Paradise Park as part of the new up-and-coming native Hawaiian cultural center.

All of these groups continue to evolve as self-produced, self-funded, self-determined, do-it-yourself entities.


Kupa'aina's initial recording experience was as the first Hawaiian music band among the many characters hanging out at the independent grunge/punk/jazz/reggae environment of Junk Music Studios a live recording and performance space owned by Tunji Heath. Some band members made their first solo debuts on the Mana Maoli album produced by Kelli Heath of HKM. HKM often draws upon the art and music community for interaction and inspiration in the classroom. The relationships between band, production team members and the school have continued to evolve through concerts, fundraisers and class presentations culminating in Kupa'aina's first album.

We hope this album will express to you our great love of this place and it's people, of its contribution to our growth and our common soul source through rhythm and rhyme. We all have learned from this project that music not only has it's place as a solo creative effort but is essential to expressing the identity, endurance and vitality of a community's conscience. Music touches the souls of people across cultures regardless of language, creed or color. Music is the heartbeat of a people and their place and for the world music can be a talking drum, a peace pipe and a weapon for real soulful positive change, as Bob Marley sings "when it hits you feel no pain."

For more band info and pictures, please visit:

Kupaaina.com