Aloha to the soul and spirit of Hawaii

THE ISSUE The life of beloved entertainer Don Ho will be celebrated today in Waikiki.

FROM childhood and through his 76 years, music, entertainment and living and loving in Hawaii was Don Ho's calling.

The thousands who gather at his home turf of Waikiki for a celebration today are but a small portion of the people who embraced the sound and sentiment that Ho created, that came to represent the leisure and ease of the islands.

His influence reached far beyond the folks who saw his live performances at Honey's and Duke's in the early days and later at the Polynesian Palace and Waikiki Beachcomber. Fans from around the world sent tributes to his family, having only heard his voice on recordings that conjured an image of a paradise they longed for.

In keeping with a promise to remember always, city officials hope to find an appropriate setting -- perhaps a park, street or building -- to name in his honor. Their choice, which should be made in consultation with his family, ought to be as generous as Don Ho was to his Hawaii home.