George Helm
Encyclopedia
George Jarrett Helm, Jr. (born March 23, 1950 – disappeared March 7, 1977) was a Native Hawaiian activist and musician
from Kalamaula, Molokai
, Hawaii
. He graduated from St. Louis High School
on Oahu
, about which he said, "I came to Oahu to get educated. Instead I lost my innocence." While at St. Louis, he studied under Hawaiian cultural experts John and Kahauanu Lake, and achieved mastery in vocal performance
and guitar
.
vocalists, and played fast, complex guitar parts while singing in an "almost inhuman" vocal range. He was a powerful speaker, writer, and "revolutionary" philosopher who pioneered many Hawaiian sovereignty
concepts. He was considered, as his posthumous album title suggests, a "True Hawaiian" who surfed, fished, farmed, loved, sang, worshipped, and thought in the ways of old.
-based group Hui Alaloa around 1975, and became "deeply involved" in Protect Kahoolawe Ohana, a Hawaiian-led organization that sought to end the bombing of the island of Kahoolawe
, a Hawaiian island used as target practice by the U.S. Navy. In 1976, nine activists occupied the island of Kahoolawe, Helm among them. He was moved intensely by the power and beauty of the island, and dedicated the rest of his life to fighting for its protection.
Helm, stating "we were touched by some force that pushed us into commitment" (Hawaii Observer, 1976), appealed to the Hawaii State legislature and to the U.S. Congress
, where he proved to be a great writer and orator, for Kahoolawe's protection. However, the bombing continued. More Kahoolawe landings by protesters ensued, and in on January 30, 1977 five activists (Helm, Walter Ritte, Richard Sawyer, Charles Warrington, and Francis Kauhane) landed on Kahoolawe in an attempt to gain greater public recognition of the struggle. Everyone was arrested except for Ritte and Sawyer, who stayed hidden on the island for 35 days, with very limited food and water. (Ritte, Sawyer: 1978)
), and beset by vivid dreams and visions, George Helm set out — first by boat, then by surfboard — to Kahoolawe, with Maui fisherman and park ranger Kimo Mitchell and water expert Billy Mitchell (unrelated). They reached the island, but Sawyer and Ritte had already been picked up. The next day, the boat belonging to Maxwell Han from Hana that was scheduled to meet Helm, Kimo Mitchell, and Billy Mitchell and return them to Maui was discovered swamped. Apparently someone had removed the plug out of the small Boston Whaler. Inexplicably, the three apparently decided to return to Maui. They had a long board a short board and a pair of fins between them. The weather was extremely treacherous with high winds, small craft warnings, and pounding waves on the shoreline. On the entry to the water George Helm was injured with a gash to his head. Once they were in the water it was obvious to all of them that the currents and ocean conditions were going to prevent them from reaching Maui. They realized they were in a life threatening situation. At this point Billy Mitchell took the long board and headed back to Kaho'olawe to get help. It took him a good part of the day to reach the shore and walk across the island to notify the Navy of the situation and to get the coast guard involved in a rescue operation. Helm and Kimo Mitchell were last seen near the tiny crescent-shaped islet of Molokini
by Billy Mitchell, who was the only survivor of the group. (Morales, 1984)
is to young surfers. Although his only musical recordings were made with minimal technology in a local bar
, they are played regularly on all Hawaiian music stations. Generations later, George Helm's music is still inspirational to many, both because it is considered to be some of the finest examples of Hawaiian falsetto ever created, and because it embodies one of the most powerful expressions of the Hawaiian soul. The popular song, "Hawaiian Soul," by Jon Osorio and Randy Borden, was written in his memory.
"There is man and there is environment. One does not
supersede the other. The breath in man is the breath of Papa
. Man is merely the caretaker of the land that maintains his life and nourishes his soul. Therefore, the âina is sacred. The church of life is not in a building, it is the open sky, the surrounding ocean, the beautiful soil...."
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
from Kalamaula, Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He graduated from St. Louis High School
Saint Louis School
Saint Louis School, located in the town of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys founded in 1846 to serve the needs of early Hawaiian Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii...
on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, about which he said, "I came to Oahu to get educated. Instead I lost my innocence." While at St. Louis, he studied under Hawaiian cultural experts John and Kahauanu Lake, and achieved mastery in vocal performance
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
.
Overview
Helm was one of the greatest Hawaiian falsettoFalsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
vocalists, and played fast, complex guitar parts while singing in an "almost inhuman" vocal range. He was a powerful speaker, writer, and "revolutionary" philosopher who pioneered many Hawaiian sovereignty
Hawaiian sovereignty movement
The Hawaiian sovereignty movement is a political movement seeking some form of sovereignty for Hawai'i. Generally, the movement's focus is on self-determination and self-governance, either for Hawaiʻi as an independent nation, or for people of whole or part native Hawaiian ancestry, or for...
concepts. He was considered, as his posthumous album title suggests, a "True Hawaiian" who surfed, fished, farmed, loved, sang, worshipped, and thought in the ways of old.
Activism
George Helm began his front-line activism in the MolokaiMolokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
-based group Hui Alaloa around 1975, and became "deeply involved" in Protect Kahoolawe Ohana, a Hawaiian-led organization that sought to end the bombing of the island of Kahoolawe
Kahoolawe
Kahoolawe is the smallest of the eight main volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. Kahoolawe is located about seven miles southwest of Maui and also southeast of Lanai, and it is long by wide, with a total land area of . The highest point on Kahoolawe is the crater of Lua Makika at the...
, a Hawaiian island used as target practice by the U.S. Navy. In 1976, nine activists occupied the island of Kahoolawe, Helm among them. He was moved intensely by the power and beauty of the island, and dedicated the rest of his life to fighting for its protection.
Helm, stating "we were touched by some force that pushed us into commitment" (Hawaii Observer, 1976), appealed to the Hawaii State legislature and to the U.S. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, where he proved to be a great writer and orator, for Kahoolawe's protection. However, the bombing continued. More Kahoolawe landings by protesters ensued, and in on January 30, 1977 five activists (Helm, Walter Ritte, Richard Sawyer, Charles Warrington, and Francis Kauhane) landed on Kahoolawe in an attempt to gain greater public recognition of the struggle. Everyone was arrested except for Ritte and Sawyer, who stayed hidden on the island for 35 days, with very limited food and water. (Ritte, Sawyer: 1978)
Disappearance
Concerned for Walter Ritte and Richard Sawyer (bombing protesters who were in hiding on the deserted island of KahoolaweKahoolawe
Kahoolawe is the smallest of the eight main volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. Kahoolawe is located about seven miles southwest of Maui and also southeast of Lanai, and it is long by wide, with a total land area of . The highest point on Kahoolawe is the crater of Lua Makika at the...
), and beset by vivid dreams and visions, George Helm set out — first by boat, then by surfboard — to Kahoolawe, with Maui fisherman and park ranger Kimo Mitchell and water expert Billy Mitchell (unrelated). They reached the island, but Sawyer and Ritte had already been picked up. The next day, the boat belonging to Maxwell Han from Hana that was scheduled to meet Helm, Kimo Mitchell, and Billy Mitchell and return them to Maui was discovered swamped. Apparently someone had removed the plug out of the small Boston Whaler. Inexplicably, the three apparently decided to return to Maui. They had a long board a short board and a pair of fins between them. The weather was extremely treacherous with high winds, small craft warnings, and pounding waves on the shoreline. On the entry to the water George Helm was injured with a gash to his head. Once they were in the water it was obvious to all of them that the currents and ocean conditions were going to prevent them from reaching Maui. They realized they were in a life threatening situation. At this point Billy Mitchell took the long board and headed back to Kaho'olawe to get help. It took him a good part of the day to reach the shore and walk across the island to notify the Navy of the situation and to get the coast guard involved in a rescue operation. Helm and Kimo Mitchell were last seen near the tiny crescent-shaped islet of Molokini
Molokini
Molokini is a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater which forms a small islet located in Alalakeiki Channel between the islands of Maui and Kahoolawe, part of Maui County in Hawaii. It has an area of , a diameter of about , and is located about west of Makena State Park and south...
by Billy Mitchell, who was the only survivor of the group. (Morales, 1984)
Legacy
Today, George Helm is hailed as one of the Aloha Aina movement's greatest heroes; among young activists he is as legendary as the great Eddie AikauEddie Aikau
Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau was a well-known Hawaiian lifeguard and surfer. The words Makua Hanai in Eddie Aikaus full name means feeding parent, an adoptive, nurturing, fostering parent, in the Hawaiian language...
is to young surfers. Although his only musical recordings were made with minimal technology in a local bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, they are played regularly on all Hawaiian music stations. Generations later, George Helm's music is still inspirational to many, both because it is considered to be some of the finest examples of Hawaiian falsetto ever created, and because it embodies one of the most powerful expressions of the Hawaiian soul. The popular song, "Hawaiian Soul," by Jon Osorio and Randy Borden, was written in his memory.
Quotes
"We are in a 'revolution of consciousness' .... What we (are) looking for is the truth.""There is man and there is environment. One does not
supersede the other. The breath in man is the breath of Papa
Papa
Papa or PAPA may refer to:*P, in the ICAO spelling alphabet*Papa class submarine*Pāpa, in Hinduism, the Sanskrit word for the concept of sin* Papa is a word used in many languages as an affectionate term for fatherPeople:...
. Man is merely the caretaker of the land that maintains his life and nourishes his soul. Therefore, the âina is sacred. The church of life is not in a building, it is the open sky, the surrounding ocean, the beautiful soil...."
External links
- "Hawaiian Soul" lyrics in honor of George Helm
- http://www.sovereignstories.org/sovereignty/pop_george.htm
- http://starbulletin.com/96/03/19/features/story1.html
- http://starbulletin.com/1999/09/25/news/story7.html
- http://www.sovereignstories.org/sovereignty/sovereigntyp.htm
- http://www.kahoolawe.org/
- http://honoluluweekly.com/cover/2006/02/rebuilding-kahoolawe-2/
- http://www.american.edu/ted/ice/hawaiibombs.htm
- http://www.historycooperative.org/cgi-bin/justtop.cgi?act=justtop&url=http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jah/91.2/blackford.html
- http://www.hanahou.com/pages/magazine.asp?Action=DrawArticle&ArticleID=434&Page=3
- http://www.moolelo.com/kahoolawe-nine.html
- http://www.huapala.org/Mele_O_Kahoolawe.html