Hoku Award controversy?

[dick]

Re: Hoku Award controversy?

Just discovered that I'm eligible to get "regular membership" in HARA... seems interesting to see what goes on in this country club...

Whether I get accepted is a completely different question, however...

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Hoku Award controversy?

Thanks for the comments, Palolo Joe, I appreciate them.

As someone who lives on the mainland, how do you know that "many of (HARA's members) feel distanced from the organization’s operations and decisions"?

I communicated with "many" by phone and e-mail, both Mainland and Island members. I felt "many" was an accurate term to use, when I heard this common thread - I didn't say "most."

sounds like a minority of mainland-based members/artists

I'd guess that's correct - but should their concerns be ignored, rather than openly discussed (and perhaps still rejected after said discussion?)

And don't you think you should have put a disclaimer somewhere that said you're a voting member of HARA yourself?

End of the first sentence of the second paragraph - it says, regarding HARA, "of which this author is a voting member."

[Palolo Joe]

Re: Hoku Award controversy?

End of the first sentence of the second paragraph - it says, regarding HARA, "of which this author is a voting member."

Ah... missed that. My apologies.

[Leonore]

Re: Hoku Award controversy?

Thanks for joining in on the discrimination controversy in the HOKU Awards.
Around the end of January, Manny K Fernandez submitted his new CD only to have it rejected because he was not a resident of Hawaii, he does not pay utilities in Hawaii, nor does he pay Hawaii State Tax. He does own property in Hawaii, but because he had to move to the mainland so he could help care for his eldery mother-in-law, he is ineligible.
At first I thought this was some crazy mistake and I joined many others in saying so. What I found out was that HARA (Hawaii Academy of Recording Artists) had written these rules in years ago when they wanted to exclude people like Bette Midler and Kris Kristofferson from their awards. The Board members defended their stand. (Aunty Maria (mele.com) won't even sell Manny K Fernandez CD. She says that it is either unavailable or out of stock.)
I still couldn't understand how they could separate Hawaii from the Hawaiian as they continued to insist that they were the Hawaii Academy and not the Hawaiian Academy. Then I read a letter from Alan Yamamoto (HARA Pres.) talking about the members of the Board. They were all representatives of distribution companies. It was then that I realized that these "spin doctors" were not talking about supporting Hawaiian music, they were talking about enhancing the geographical market of Hawaii. That is why there are different rules for different genre of music.
Well this controversy has been ragging for awhile. That's why Johnny Kai developed the Hawaiian Music Awards. He wanted something that would acknowledge all Hawaiian music. That is also why Aloha Joe (AlohaJoe.com)emphasises that he will play all Hawaiian music on his station.

[Palolo Joe]

Re: Hoku Award controversy?

In case you missed it the first time...

Well, it's called the HAWAII Academy of Recording Arts for a reason. The exception in the Genre category seems more than fair, too.

Live on the mainland and want recognition for your album? Enter it in the Hawaiian category at the Grammys. Leave the Hokus for the people of Hawaii.

[scrivener]

Re: Hoku Award controversy?

I'm with Palolo Joe. Lots of people are from Boston, but they don't win Boston-area music awards, and it would be silly to expect them to.