Bruddah Iz ~ White Sandy Beach

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

The Starfish
Ka Hôkû Kai
[kah HOH' KOO' kai]

Once upon a time, there was a wise kupuna (elder),
who went to the sea to contemplate.
One day, while walking along the shore,
the kupuna looked down the beach,
and saw a gracefully dancing
human figure.

The kupuna wondered out loud,
"Who would so joyfully greet this day with hula?"
and began to walk faster to catch up.

Getting closer,
the kupuna saw that the dancer was a keiki (child),
who was not dancing at all.
The keiki was reaching down to the sand to pick up something,
and was very gently throwing it into the sea.

The kupuna called out to the keiki,
"Aloha! What are you doing?"

The keiki paused, looked up and replied,
"Throwing starfish into the sea."

Surprised, the kupuna sputtered,
"I...I guess I should have asked,
WHY are you throwing starfish into the sea?"

The keiki smiled brightly, pointed upward and,
with exquisite simplicity, replied,
"The sun is up, the tide is going out.
If I don't throw them in, they will die."

"But, don't you realize, " asked the kupuna,
"that there are miles and miles of beach
and starfish all along it?
You can't possibly make a difference!"

The keiki listened politely.
Then bent down, picked up another starfish,
threw it gently into the sea, just beyond the breaking waves,
and exuberantly declared,
"It made a difference for that one."

Bruddah Iz ~ Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. I do not own the the rights to this song. It is shared here for my love of the man, his music and his home. Please visit Mountain Apple Company to purchase any of the footage of Bruddah Iz you see here.

• Category

  Music

[gruntsguns]

My husband and I are proud Haoles and had this song played at our wedding as the bridal party came down the isle. I was on Oahu when Bruddah Iz passed away and to this day cannot think of another artist I admired as much as him.

[ThePTBaller]

Bruddah IZ brings with his music such a message of peace and love, to see anyone argue about anything is disappointing. What his weight or ethnicity has to do with this song, the rest of his music or his over all message is beyond me. If you are watching this video and listening to this wonderful music and all you can think of is his appearance, then you have never truly understood his music anyways, its beyond your comprehension.

[Denise Lugardo]

You seriously never heard of an ukulele? o-o da fuq

[andres trevizo]

ukelele dude look it up.

[UberNooblez]

That's not a guitar, that's Cello!!!

[TeachingU]

Holy crap! That guy is huge! Makes the guitar look like a toy!

[jhessgirl]

I am so happy Ray. Check out any track. He was also apart of a band called the Mahaka Sons of Nihau. Fantastic group.

[ray lancaster]

i've just come across this man and his music quite by chance and I must say his voice is truly wonderful,as is his music,simple but pure and beautiful..

[AravahStar]

"shark!" lol!

[AravahStar]

Just passing through to make a random rude comment for...what reason? : )

[TheBrotherizzy]

Free Hawaii.