Lit Notes: Ryka Aoki's "He Mele A Hilo: A Hilo Song" Part 2

June 6, 2019 Mako Bookclub

[Book Plot Summary]

Eva gave her money to the Alzheimer’s wing of a hospital since it was too shady to spend it on herself
Nona gave it to the school library where she and Harry met—in the process realizing that she and Harry couldn’t really work as a couple
Saul and Johnny Boy got into a literal fight about the Ku’uipo name change
Frances gave her money to her family cemetery
Ervin stupid ass spent the coin with his friends on beer, eBay, online poker, and other bullshit. Nigga had the nerve to feel guilty lmao
Violet gave the money to Jesus
Steve confronted Harry about the fishing thing and Harry was like “well girl, you asked to go fishing not to catch fish, maybe there’s more to the experience than results?” Also, Harry lowkey shaded him for his fake ass philanthropy and development shenanigans that cause more harm than good
Darin went to hula practice with Lisa and the girls and looked a damn fool
Kam and Steve had another weird interaction where Kam was like “are Jewish people the chosen ones?” and Steve was like “bitch idk lmaooo”
Aunty Kahukunoe died and it rocked Noelani’s shit
Ro-Ann (the bowling alley owner) tried to come for Uncle Raymond’s crazy omelette and Samson defended his ass
Saul slept on a beach and paid Steve dust

Saul met a weird volcano girl in his youth and lowkey moved to the big island to reunite with her
Nona cussed out Harry cuz she was tired of being second best, second in line to his wife
Eva was a bad bitch at smelling flowers and Noelani lived as a fellow bad bitch of hula
Johnny Boy related to mac salad because he, too, is an accessory
Harry got in a heinous car accident and died I think and literally what is even real anymore?

Apparently Johnny boy and Kam got to fighting which what else is new?
There’s another weird dream sequence where Harry comes back to life with Steve and Nona
Eva dreamt that the girls went to Goto’s for clam chowder and she literally merked these niggas
Eva and Roland tried to go to Lisa’s house but ended up in damn Kona lol
But like was that a dream? Idk sis...

Harry’s like super alive
Saul still sprung on this volcano girl, but it’s coming out in the music
Harry and Nona fooked after she gave him a bath
Ervin has terrible abusive parents, well—a terrible abusive father—and legit hates his life. He also feels v guilty about wasting $20,000 with his fake-ass, pleather-ass friends on lollipops and bullshit
Ervin ran into Steve Yates at the store who was like “open your mind bitch” and idk, then they got a meal and I was like WHOMST and it was implied that maybe his parents don’t fucking hate him—oh and he should def spill to Noelani. Then Steve made that nigga walk home 11 miles lmao
Kam realized this whole journey was just not that deep

Lisa is feeling her beat and feels alive for the first time ever
Steve finally met the old woman and was like bruhhhhh. And she was like girl calm down you always stressed over stupid shit, everyone needs a miracle
Apparently Mel coulda easily become “‘mele” which means “song”. Kam dumb as hell lmao
Ervin confessed to Noelani and she forgave his dumbass
Nona was pressed about being too white since she’s Japanese and not kanaka
She even burnt the chicken smh. Darin recommended she tan her skin so I’m sure she bout to look crazy lol
Steve and Harry fish in actual harmony and just enjoy the experience despite the million things going on in their minds
Noelani realized she is the song and dance of Hawaii, lowkey transformed into a goddess, and got buck with Pele

Harry proposed to Nona and she was like BITCH. YES!!!
Noelani reflects on how a lot of hula’s true essence is kind of lost, a lot of if didn’t survive persecution and is memories of memories of memories. Her piece isn’t selected for Merrie Monarch, but they decide to do a webcast for the world at Steve Yate’s joint
Harry thought Steve was doing tm, but Lisa was like “nah sis it’s cool”
Uncle Raymond is getting dumb popular for his malasada and has a new secret breakfast poke recipe
Saul Malani reunited with the volcano girl he’s in love with

Noelani and Harry agree that Nona trippin about being too white like girl...
But the whole thing makes Noelani reflect on why she’s more inclusive about letting everyone do hula
Violet realizes Noelani’s relationship with Christ seems strained
Steve has a heart to heart with Eva after asking her to cater the event
Ervin and Nona get selected to do the solos in Noelani’s piece at Steve’s house
Ervin’s dad, Gozo, who’s otherwise disinterested in his son, runs into a friend named Ciles at the grocery store and realizes he’s kinda lucky Ervin’s around and that him being in Noelani’s halau is a big deal. So he might go to the show
All the other Kumus are gonna be there including Ignacio and the Kumu from Noelani’s old halau with Aunty
Ignacio is predictably shady
Ain’t no beef between Noelani and Millicent, Kumu of the old halau
Carl leaves the band since he can’t take the pressure of the event and they replace him with a Dominican popolo named Carlos
Saul had a weird encounter with a fire woman

Nona was a bird and accidentally turned herself orange because she used Darin’s body builder bullshit. But the old lady visited her and was like “girl whatchu doin” and turned her back. Harry was bout to whoop Darin’s entire ass, but that proved unnecessary

The performance was fucking incredible
Ignacio’s group was really good, but a lot of the original dancers were replaced by other folks. They were good but like at what cost?
Kahakunoe went next and they also were litty in like an asymmetrical and somewhat abstract way. They also danced to a remix of titanic and hoes threw their wigs onstage
Everyone was gonna go home then it started raining something serious and they were like SIKE
Noelani’s piece was lit; Ervin lip synced for his life, Violet got up there and did her thing, and Nona transformed into the sands of time themselves and bitches disintegrated
Lisa saved the girls of Matsuoka’s (who were catering) by helping them with the macaroni salad
Apparently Ciles died 3 years ago so Gozo ass seeing ghosts
Ku’uipo stayed booked and busy, they bout to be on Ellen
Lisa started working at Matsuoka
Noelani was in church and saw every Kumu that ever was, an experience weirdly facilitated by Steve
Nona threw her chicken into the sea and the fish were like YAAAAASSSSS
Lisa and the old lady lifted islands from the sea