Three cabinet makers from Portugal – Manuel Nunes, Augusto Dias and Jose do Espirito Santo – immigrated to Hawaii in 1879. They brought with them their beloved braguinha, a traditional Portuguese stringed instrument of the guitar family. Nearly 8,000 miles from their home country, it was no surprise that the braguinha was not an instrument that was being crafted anywhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Skilled wood workers, the three artisans decided to create a new instrument using the local koa wood. The ukulele was born. Simply translated, it means “jumping flea,” which refers to the fast and nimble movement to the player’s fingers on the fretboard. The instrument quickly became popular locally with the Hawaiians.
It wasn’t until decades later, however, that the ukulele gained a greater following. The song “Ukulele Lady” in 1925 put the instrument on the global map. Interest in the ukulele has ebbed and flowed over the past century, with a significant surge of attention coming after being played by Marilyn Monroe in the movie “Some Like it Hot” in 1959. The ukulele was taken to an international audience by the famed Hawaiian folk singer/songwriter Israel Kamakawiwo’ole in the 1990s.
Today, life is once again being breathed into ukulele excitement, this time by Midway Magic. In 2020, museum docents Peter Kirn, Kathleen Franklin and Dan Hacker formed the “Midway Uke Band & Beverage Club.” While not concerned with headlining at the Hollywood Bowl anytime soon, the group enjoys playing for family, friends and other Midway volunteers.
“I helped form the band because of a spark that began when Peter, Dan and I dusted off our musical pasts—this time with ukuleles instead of guitars—and jammed into the evening,” said Kathleen, who has been a volunteer docent since 2007. “That spontaneous session stayed in the background of our thoughts, and when COVID hit and ship duties paused, it grew into something we couldn’t resist carrying forward.”
The band expanded later that year when docent Gary Chapman joined the group, playing guitar. Shortly thereafter, the band added docent Ron Richardson as a vocalist and bass guitar player. They played as a quintet for the next two years before bringing docent Laurie Hyde on board initially only as a vocalist, but she too has since learned to strum the ukulele.
“It has been an amazing experience,” said Gary, who joined the Midway volunteer family in 2009. “To be creatively engaged in your senior years is terrific. Throughout the COVID lockdown, we continued to play. All the band members have outdoor patios, and we would set our amps up six feet apart and play every week. So, while the general populace was shuttered in, we all had an active social life that helped to cement the group together. The first audiences we entertained were our next-door neighbors who would listen in to our playing.”
Over the past five years, the group has developed an eclectic repertoire of songs that include folk, soft rock and country music. They’ve also added some more modern tunes to their playlist.
“In our past separate lives we had played extensive folk music from the 60s, 70s and 80s,” said Peter, a 13-year docent. “During COVID, we had a chance to gather together each week to play and socialize. We enjoy playing the old folk songs and learning new songs. The Ukulele sound is not as clear and precise as a guitar but at our age, neither are we.”
No world tour is in the offing and they are not waiting for Taylor Swift to reach out. For the members of the Midway Uke Band, the enjoyment comes from entertaining friends, neighbors and their fellow docents.
“What began as three friends making music became a lifeline during the toughest days of the COVID restrictions,” recalls Kathleen, who has more than 1,400 volunteer hours. “It’s given us joy, laughter, and a way to stay connected and sane. Today, the lure of music still draws us together like a siren song, reminding me that helping to form this band was one of the most rewarding choices I’ve made.”
“Since the origin of the band, it has become like a weekly family reunion,” said Dan Hacker, a docent since 2005 with more than 4,500 volunteer hours. “We’re six friends who enjoy making music; singing, playing, bickering and laughing together. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s a very pleasant part of life now.”
Esprit de corps and camaraderie have always been hallmarks of the docent experience, but an even deeper fellowship has connected the band members in ways they weren’t expecting.
“Being in the band has added another major dimension to the camaraderie that all docents experience,” said Gary, who has amassed 13,000 volunteer hours. “Working through creative differences and varying tastes in music, we all have bonded over the joy that only striving towards common goals can bring.”
“I love our making music together, but even more I cherish the fellowship of the group,” said Ron, with nearly 5,000 volunteer hours under his belt. “This has become my primary social group and I love everyone in the band.”
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