Napua Stevens
Encyclopedia
Napua Stevens Poire was a well-known Hawaii
an entertainer, singer, hula
dancer, musician, teacher, radio-TV personality, producer and author.
Noted for her hits such as "Beyond The Reef
" and "Hawaiian Hospitality" in the late 1940s, she performed as a Hula dancer in the group The Coral Islanders in the 1950s and later embarked upon a successful media career as a radio DJ for her own show KTRG and presenting her own TV cooking show Napua's Kitchen in the 1960s. She made two guest appearances in the popular series Hawaii Five-O
and also presented the Aloha Week and Kamehameha Day
hula shows.
. She was a descendant of Charles Stevens, a noted American whaler who arrived in Hawaii in 1848. She was born one of six children of Robert Na'ea and Juliet Bell. Her name Napua was a shortened version of her name Kawaiala Kao'ionapuapi'ilani which means "the perfumed water" and "the finest flower in the bouquet of Pi'ilani. She was of Scotch, Irish, English and native Hawaiian ancestry. Her great-great-grand-grandmother was a descendant of ancient native Hawaiian kings.
In 1949 she recorded Beyond The Reef
on the Bell Records
label (like her other hits), written by Canadian Jack Pitman. It was later recorded by Bing Crosby
, Elvis Presley
and The Ventures
. Other notable hits include "Hawaiian Hospitality", "I Want to Learn to Speak Hawaiian", "Pretty Red Hibiscus", "May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii" and "What Aloha Means". In the hit "Hawaiian Hospitality" she sings of meeting a handsome dark-eyed local on Waikiki
beach and his Hawaiian hospitality. In "I Want to Learn to Speak Hawaiian" she sings of her desire to learn the Hawaiian language
so "she can say the sweetest things and do the hula too". In the 1950s she performed as a dancer in the group The Coral Islanders.
In 1948 she joined the Aloha Week organization and was responsible for producing and narrating hundreds of hula shows, with performers such as Daddy Bray, Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln
, Vickie I'i Rodrigues (her cousin) and others. In the 1950s she hosted her own radio show KTRG and presented her own TV cooking show Napua's Kitchen in the 1960s for eight years. Stevens later made some appearances as an actress, including two episodes of Hawaii Five-O
(1969–1973).
She also narrated television coverage of the annual Kamehameha Day
parade for years into the 1970s for KITV
.
Stevens was also talented at the crafts and in 1971 authored a book The Hawaiian Quilt which was an instruction/guide manual to the Hawaiian quilt
.
, another noted hula musician. Several people related to Napua Stevens are also successful musicians or entertainers in Hawaii.
She died on January 7, 1990 at the age of 71.
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...
an entertainer, singer, hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
dancer, musician, teacher, radio-TV personality, producer and author.
Noted for her hits such as "Beyond The Reef
Beyond the Reef
"Beyond The Reef" is a song written by Canadian Jack Pitman in Hawaii in 1948. It was first performed by Hawaiian artist Napua Stevens in 1949. Bing Crosby covered the song a year later in 1950 and Elvis Presley recorded his version of the song on May 27, 1966. The Elvis recording was only released...
" and "Hawaiian Hospitality" in the late 1940s, she performed as a Hula dancer in the group The Coral Islanders in the 1950s and later embarked upon a successful media career as a radio DJ for her own show KTRG and presenting her own TV cooking show Napua's Kitchen in the 1960s. She made two guest appearances in the popular series Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,...
and also presented the Aloha Week and Kamehameha Day
Kamehameha Day
Kamehameha Day on June 11 is a public holiday of the state of Hawaii in the United States. It honors Kamehameha the Great, the monarch who first established the unified Kingdom of Hawaii — comprising the Hawaiian Islands of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lānai, Kahoolawe, Maui and...
hula shows.
Biography
Stevens was born on August 31, 1918 in Hawi, North Kohala, HawaiiHawaii
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...
. She was a descendant of Charles Stevens, a noted American whaler who arrived in Hawaii in 1848. She was born one of six children of Robert Na'ea and Juliet Bell. Her name Napua was a shortened version of her name Kawaiala Kao'ionapuapi'ilani which means "the perfumed water" and "the finest flower in the bouquet of Pi'ilani. She was of Scotch, Irish, English and native Hawaiian ancestry. Her great-great-grand-grandmother was a descendant of ancient native Hawaiian kings.
In 1949 she recorded Beyond The Reef
Beyond the Reef
"Beyond The Reef" is a song written by Canadian Jack Pitman in Hawaii in 1948. It was first performed by Hawaiian artist Napua Stevens in 1949. Bing Crosby covered the song a year later in 1950 and Elvis Presley recorded his version of the song on May 27, 1966. The Elvis recording was only released...
on the Bell Records
Bell Records (1940)
The second record label to use the name Bell Records was based in Honolulu, Hawaii in the 1940s and 1950s. The label specialized in Hawaiian music. Recordings were made by Bill Fredlund....
label (like her other hits), written by Canadian Jack Pitman. It was later recorded by Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
. Other notable hits include "Hawaiian Hospitality", "I Want to Learn to Speak Hawaiian", "Pretty Red Hibiscus", "May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii" and "What Aloha Means". In the hit "Hawaiian Hospitality" she sings of meeting a handsome dark-eyed local on Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
beach and his Hawaiian hospitality. In "I Want to Learn to Speak Hawaiian" she sings of her desire to learn the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
so "she can say the sweetest things and do the hula too". In the 1950s she performed as a dancer in the group The Coral Islanders.
In 1948 she joined the Aloha Week organization and was responsible for producing and narrating hundreds of hula shows, with performers such as Daddy Bray, Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln
Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln
Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln is a Hawaiian hula singer and musician, noted for his soaring falsetto. He was married to Napua Stevens, another noted hula performer and entertainer...
, Vickie I'i Rodrigues (her cousin) and others. In the 1950s she hosted her own radio show KTRG and presented her own TV cooking show Napua's Kitchen in the 1960s for eight years. Stevens later made some appearances as an actress, including two episodes of Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. The show featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett,...
(1969–1973).
She also narrated television coverage of the annual Kamehameha Day
Kamehameha Day
Kamehameha Day on June 11 is a public holiday of the state of Hawaii in the United States. It honors Kamehameha the Great, the monarch who first established the unified Kingdom of Hawaii — comprising the Hawaiian Islands of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lānai, Kahoolawe, Maui and...
parade for years into the 1970s for KITV
KITV
KITV is the American Broadcasting Company television station affiliate licensed to Honolulu, Hawaii. Based in Honolulu and broadcasting on digital channel 40, displayed as channel 4 the station is owned by Hearst Television and operates several satellites and translators on all the major Hawaiian...
.
Stevens was also talented at the crafts and in 1971 authored a book The Hawaiian Quilt which was an instruction/guide manual to the Hawaiian quilt
Hawaiian quilt
A Hawaiian quilt is a distinctive quilting style of the Hawaiian Islands that uses large radially symmetric applique patterns. Motifs often work stylized botanical designs in bold colors on a white background....
.
Personal life
In her prime she was described as being particularly physically attractive with one person commenting that "Napua was the loveliness of all Island girls in one, a ripe-mango beauty with raven hair and ivory skin". She was a cousin to Bill Ali'iloa LincolnBill Ali'iloa Lincoln
Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln is a Hawaiian hula singer and musician, noted for his soaring falsetto. He was married to Napua Stevens, another noted hula performer and entertainer...
, another noted hula musician. Several people related to Napua Stevens are also successful musicians or entertainers in Hawaii.
She died on January 7, 1990 at the age of 71.