12/26/2023 0 Comments Baby blue song kapenaPictured are: (bottom row, from left) Lilo and Kalena De Lima (Kelly Boy’s daughters) (middle row) Dustin Park (Timo’s son), Josh Tatofi (Tiva’s son), Isaiah Pamatigan (son of Solo Pamatigan of Tropical Knight’s and godson of Kelly Boy) and Kapena De Lima (Kelly Boy’s son) (top row) and Timo Tatofi, Kelly Boy De Lima and Tiva Tatofi. The original band members pose with their children during a recent gathering at Koolau Golf Club. ![]() “That moment could have broke a lot of kids, but we had so much good going for us,” says Tiva. Unfortunately, the trio lost on its way to the 1985 Brown Bags to Stardom finals, but unlike what happened with Na Lei O Hawaii, these members decided to stick it out as a group. Soon after forming an alliance, the two invited Tiva to join the ranks of Kapena (“captain” in Hawaiian), a name suggested to them by De Lima’s father, Duffy, who always loved Kapena Falls. Still, the two had yet to really connect as fledgling musicians, until Tatofi approached De Lima one day and asked if the latter planned to enter Brown Bags again. But, in the fall of 1985, he suddenly found himself trying to piece together a new group after the other members of Na Lei O Hawaii inexplicably called it quits.Įnter Timo Tatofi, who forgave De Lima for his gum-slinging mishap two years earlier and ended up befriending him. His four-piece band Na Lei O Hawaii had qualified but lost the statewide competition the year before, and De Lima was looking for a bit of redemption. More than anything, De Lima entered his sophomore year at Kaimuki High itching to get back to the high school talent showcase known as Brown Bags to Stardom, and win. Or, as De Lima puts it, “If not for that (stick of gum), where would we be?” And to think it all started with the flight of a masticated gumball more than three decades ago. Indeed, next week’s concert is proof that good things continue to happen for Kapena and its legion of loyal fans. Why? Because it feels good, it feels right.” “A lot of people say, ‘How come you never do this sooner?'” says De Lima, who is expected to hit the stage with the Tatofis around 8 that evening. The event, which begins at 5 p.m., also will feature well-known acts such as Fiji, Mana‘o Company, Bruddah Waltah and Tropical Knights.īut make no mistake about it - people are coming from far and wide to see Kapena’s original gang perform its magic together for the very last time in Hawaii. 26, at Waikiki Shell, when these venerable musicians will reunite at the group’s “One Last Hana Hou” concert. And although the three-some hasn’t performed on stage together in more than a decade, that all changes Shudder to think what might have been if Kapena - a once-in-a-generation group made up of the otherworldly talents of De Lima, Tatofiand his older brother Tiva - had never existed.īut exist it did, thrilling fans with unmistakable melodies, unmatched three-part harmonies and unbelievable command of ukulele and guitars. ![]() Had punches been thrown, history might have been forever altered. I just kind of threw the gum down over the railing, it hit him in the head and the sucka went ballistic! I mean, he wanted for scrap - just beat the crap out of me.”įortunately, an apology was issued and cooler heads prevailed that day, and that turned out to be a good thing for local music fans. In recalling the incident, De Lima confesses, “I didn’t do it on purpose. Now, neither of these eighth-graders knew the other at the time, but Tatofiwas ready to formally introduce his fists to De Lima’s fair-skinned and heavily freckled face - unless he received an immediate “sorry.” And so with his blood in a boil and his hands in a clench, he stormed up the steps to confront the perpetrator. The sticky wad wound up landing on the head of an unsuspecting student named Timo Tatofi and, needless to say, Tatofiwasn’t thrilled about what just nestled in his hair. Here’s what happened: One day back in the early ’80s, a noted “gum”-slinger named Kelly Boy De Lima was descending a Kaimuki Intermediate School stairwell, when he decided to chuck his freshly chewed confection over the railing. Sure, that sounds crazy, but that’s how it all began for the feel-good, reggae-train riding outfit known as Kapena. One piece of gum, blindly tossed by a student over a railing, strikes another and nearly derails a musical legacy before it even has a chance of getting off the ground. And that makes you cray-ay-ay-ah-ha - cray-ay-zy! ![]() 26 at Waikiki Shell, where the legendary trio of Kelly Boy De Lima and brothers Timo and Tiva Tatofi will be performing for the fi nal time in Hawaii. Whatcha talkin’ ’bout - you say you don’t like the reggae beat? Then you must be one of the few music lovers not attending Kapena’s ‘One Last Hana Hou’ concert Sept.
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