Auntie Irmgard’s Hawaiian music composer Irmgard Farden Aluli was legendary for the music she made, but it was her spirit of love and aloha for others and her zest for life itself that endeared her to so many.
spirit spread her
aloha to all
Near to her family's heart,
many others came out to
honor the Hawaiian musicianBy Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com"She left us with so many wonderful memories, and we have that," said Amelia Bailey, 79, who like many others wore pink, Aluli's favorite color, at a gathering yesterday afternoon at Kalama Beach in Kailua.
The beach gathering followed funeral services and burial for Aluli, a composer of some 400 Hawaiian songs who died Oct. 4, just three days shy of her 90th birthday.
A few hundred people gathered beachside to share stories of "Auntie Irmgard."
"People just showed up to do all the flowers, to do all the food, to honor her," said Aluli's daughter, Mihana Souza. "Everybody came in her style with so much love and aloha. Everything was taken care of. We just got to see how loved she was."
The beach gathering celebrated Aluli's life with food, drink and music. Among others, granddaughter Mahina Souza, part of the duo Kahala Moon, sang "You're a Kumu," one of Aluli's compositions."Tutu always loved our music," she said. "It's not Hawaiian, more of a jazz influence, but she very much influenced our music."
The laughter flowed more than the tears as people reminisced about Aluli, who in 1998 was the first living inductee to the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame.
Many people spoke of Aluli's kindness and humility, but it is her spirit that Rennette Miller wants to emulate.
"My new motto is 'Irmgard would go,'" Miller said.
Betty Ikehara, who has made haku lei for Aluli over the years, made 20 for yesterday's occasion. She said she laid the last haku for Aluli on her casket at the funeral, and said, "This is the last haku I'm giving you."
Many said Aluli could make each individual feel special.
Longtime friend Marie Gomes said that when Aluli would introduce her, she would always say: "Oh, she's ohana.' And I felt great."
Aluli's niece Luana McKenney said, "She made us feel special and always give gifts and she would say, 'Can you use these?'" Aluli also shared her music with McKenney, who was part of Puamana, the musical group Aluli performed with.
McKenney recalled how Aluli and the rest of her uncles and aunts would encourage the kids to sing and dance. That's why so many in her family are involved with music, she said.
Aluli's younger sister, Edna Bekeart, said that even though the two weren't close in age, they were nevertheless close. Aluli played by ear and couldn't read music and had Bekeart write the music down for her.
"Irmgard composed mainly on the guitar," she said. "She composed very quickly. Fast, fast -- the words and the tune. For any occasion, she could whip something up."