Tau Moe
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Tau Moe ("Papa Tau") (pronounced Mo-ay) (August 13, 1908 – June 24, 2004) was a singer and musician who formed The Tau Moe Family musical troupe which toured the globe for decades.


Early life

Tau Moe (pronounced Mo-ay) was born August 13, 1908 in
American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
to Savea Aupiu Moe and Talalupelele Lupe Tuitogama’atoe. The Moe family were of the
Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
faith. Some biographical details have variances from source to source. A 1947 item in the ''Honolulu Star Bulletin'' reported that Tau was sent alone to Hawaii for his education. Historian John W. Troutman, Curator of American Music at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, stated that the entire family moved to
Laie Laie ( haw, Lāie, ) is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Koolauloa District on the island of Oahu () in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. In Hawaiian, means " leaf" ( is a climbing screwpine: ''Freycinetia arborea''). The p ...
, Oahu, Hawaii in 1919, near the Mormon
Laie Hawaii Temple Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) located on the northeast shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The temple sits on a small hill, half a mile from the Pacific Ocean, in the town of ...
. Troutman speculated that it was more likely the
1918 flu pandemic The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case was ...
, rather than religion, that motivated the move. Born into a family grounded in church music, Tau was influenced by the "kīkā kila" – the
lap steel guitar The lap steel guitar, also known as a Hawaiian guitar, is a type of steel guitar without pedals that is typically played with the instrument in a horizontal position across the performer's lap. Unlike the usual manner of playing a traditional ...
– also known as the Hawaiian guitar. He enjoyed listening to early recordings of
Joseph Kekuku Joseph Kekuku (1874–1932) is reportedly the inventor of the steel guitar. Biography Kekuku, also known as Joseph Kekuku’upenakana’iaupuniokamehameha Apuakehau, was born in Lāie, a village on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii. When Joseph was ...
and others who were proficient on the instrument. He soon crafted his own version of the kīkā kila by adapting a mail-order
Montgomery Ward Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001. The curren ...
guitar. Tau and his friends loitered around a music store, memorizing songs from demo records played by customers, trying to duplicate the music. He gravitated towards the stylings of guitarists Pale K. Lua,
Frank Ferera Frank Ferera (June 12, 1885 - June 26, 1951) was a Hawaiian musician who recorded successfully between 1915 and 1930. He was the first star of Hawaiian music and influenced many later artists. Biography Frank Ferera was born in Honolulu, Kingdom ...
and
Sol Hoʻopiʻi Solomon Hoʻopiʻi Kaʻaiʻai ( ; 1902 – November 16, 1953) was a Native Hawaiian lap steel guitarist. A virtuoso, he was one of the most famous original Hawaiian steel guitarists, along with Joseph Kekuku, Frank Ferera, Sam Ku West and " ...
. Decades later, he would recall being impressed when watching Hoʻopiʻi perform live.


Family musical troupe

At the time Tau met Madame Claude Riviere, she was a professor of the French language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, who had traveled throughout the Asia-Pacific area. Riviere's home adjacent to McKinley High School was partially converted in 1927 into a theatre catering to the tourist trade. Local musicians, including Tau's uncles Tauvivi, Fuifui, and Pulu, were part of her show. In his 1990 biographical story for ''The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association Newsletter'', Tau related how his uncle Pulu got him a $2-a-day job with Riviere to play on weekends. During the weekdays he still attended school in Laie; 1927 would have been his senior year of high school. The crowds soon grew to 200 attendees, and Riviere booked the show at the newly opened
Royal Hawaiian Hotel The Royal Hawaiian Hotel is a beachfront luxury hotel located in Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. It is part of The Luxury Collection brand of Marriott International. One of the first hotels established in Waikiki, the Royal ...
. Tau moved from Laie to Honolulu and worked at a full-time job. He took steel guitar lessons from M. K. Moke, a friend of one of his uncles. Depending on when he related the story, it was either one lesson for $20, or multiple lessons for an unknown sum. Through Moke, he met fellow steel guitar student and future wife Rose Ka‘ohu from
Kohala, Hawaii The districts of the Big Island. From Northernmost, clockwise; North Kohala (highlighted), Hilo,_ Hilo,_South_Hilo,_Hawaii">Hilo,_Puna,_Hawaii">Puna,_ Hilo,_South_Hilo,_Hawaii">Hilo,_Puna,_Hawaii">Puna,_Kau,_Hawaii">Kaū,_South_ Hilo,_South_Hilo, ...
. At the time, Rose was a seasoned performer who could sing, dance, and play an instrument. Along with her sisters, she was part of the
John Kameaaloha Almeida John Kameaaloha Almeida (November 28, 1897 – October 9, 1985) was a blind musician and songwriter from Oahu, Hawaii. His 1930s radio program on Hawaii radio station KGU earned him the sobriquet "The Dean of Hawaiian Music". Hawaiian Music H ...
shows. When Riviere opted to take her show on a tour of Asia, Rose auditioned and became part of the troupe. Rose and Tau married shortly after the tour left Honolulu. She went into labor in the middle of a performance in
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, and their son Lani was born on July 13, 1929. Riviere's troupe broke up during the tour, partially due to her financial difficulties. Most of the troupe signed on with
Ernest Kaʻai Ernest Kaʻai (1881–1962) was considered by many to have been the The Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum foremost ukulele authority of his time and is noted by some as being "Hawaii's Greatest Ukulele Player". Kaʻai, who was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, ...
. Tau and Rose split off into their own act. The Moe family spent the next decade performing around the world before World War II broke out, staying long enough in several areas to become fluent in multiple languages. By the time he was 4 years old, Lani was performing on stage with his parents.


World War II

In his later years, Tau related that the family had been in and out of Germany for 40 years. During World War II, the Moe family assisted with collections for Winterhilfswerk (Winter Help), a fund for German orphans. In recognition for their charity work, the family was summoned to meet
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
. Although Rose and Tau were not comfortable with meeting him, they were powerless to do anything when Hitler arranged for Lani to ride in the Winterhilfswerk parade in his state limousine. The Moe family helped smuggle a friend's valuables out of (Germany), partially by Rose wearing three fur coats and explaining to the border guards that people from Hawaii were not acclimated to the cold in Germany. Tau and Rose and family were very compassionate, helping Jews escape from Germany prior to
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, by dressing them up in the Tau family's stage costumes. At one point, the family lived over a Jewish-owned bookstore. They were captive witnesses when the
Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organi ...
made a late-night raid burning not only the store's contents, but also burned the store's owners alive atop the pile of burning books. The Gestapo had learned of the Moe family's underground efforts on behalf of the Jews and were in transit to arrest the family when, warned by friends, the family slipped out the stage back door and escaped.


Post war years

The troupe performed for international figures including
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
,
Aristotle Onassis Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; el, Αριστοτέλης Ωνάσης, Aristotélis Onásis, ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975), was a Greek-Argentinian shipping magnate who amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and wa ...
and
King Farouk Farouk I (; ar, فاروق الأول ''Fārūq al-Awwal''; 11 February 1920 – 18 March 1965) was the tenth ruler of Egypt from the Muhammad Ali dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and the Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 193 ...
. They were introduced to
Mohandas Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
while performing in India. Daughter Dorian was born in Calcutta during the
1946 Bihar riots Communal riots occurred in Bihar, India from 24 October to 11 November 1946, in which Hindu mobs targeted Muslim families. The riots were triggered by the Great Calcutta Killings, as well as the Noakhali riots earlier that year. Mahatma Gandhi ...
; Rose went into labor and was rushed to the hospital by the military. Tau and Lani finished their show, and afterwards also taken to the hospital by the military. In August 1947, the Moe family returned to Hawaii for the first time since 1928. While in Hawaii, they performed at Club Pago Pago on Beretania Street. After the war, the Tau Moe Trio (Tau, Rose, Lani) entertained at US military bases, booked through the Frankfort, Germany military post, "... Hawaiians who did one of the wildest routines ever to hit the EC." The Tau Moe Trio, and his uncle's Pulu Moe Trio, were booked for an extensive run in London with orchestra leader Felix Mendelssohn, namesake descendant of German composer
Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...
.


Later life and legacy

Moe was an influential pioneer of the Hawaiian
steel guitar A steel guitar ( haw, kīkākila) is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conve ...
who along with his wife Rose formed the core of troupe. The group's success coincided with increased interest in
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
due in part to colonialism, and exemplified by cultural fads like
Tiki bar A tiki bar is a themed drinking establishment that serves elaborate cocktails, especially rum-based mixed drinks such as the Mai Tai and Zombie cocktails. Tiki bars are aesthetically defined by their tiki culture décor which is based upon a rom ...
s and
Tiki culture Tiki culture is an American-originated art, music, and entertainment movement inspired by Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian cultures. Inspired by Oceanian art, influential cultures to Tiki culture include Australasia, Melanesia, Micrones ...
. In 1988, ethnomusicology
Bob Brozman Bob Brozman (March 8, 1954 – April 23, 2013) was an American guitarist and ethnomusicologist. Biography Brozman was born to a Jewish family in Long Island, New York, and began playing the guitar when he was six. He performed gypsy jazz, ca ...
collaborated with the Moe family in producing a new recording of their songs. Released in 1989, Brozman played steel guitar, with Rose on lead vocals, Tau on rhythm guitar, Dorian on second guitar, and Lani on ukulele. The album was included in the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
American Folklife Center The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. was created by Congress in 1976 "to preserve and present American Folklife". The center includes the Archive of Folk Culture, established at the library in 1928 as a repos ...
American Folk Music and Folklore Recordings. Rose Moe died December 18, 1998. She was afflicted with
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
in the last few years of her life. After the family's return to Hawaii, Lani became a dance instructor at
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU–Hawaii) is a private university in Laie, Hawaii. It is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). BYU-Hawaii was founded in 1955, and became a satellite campus of ...
. He died in 2002. Tau died June 24, 2004.


Discography

*''Twilight in Hawaii: Legends of Hawaiian Music'' (2002) CD 90203 (Sounds of the World) *''Paradise Isle'' (2001) CD HQ CD 162 (Harlequin UK) *''Ho'Omana'o I Na Mele O Ka Wa U'i (Remembering the Songs of Our Youth)'' (1992) CD 6028 (Rounder) *''E-Liliu-E, Hula / South Sea Sadie'' 78 RPM F.B. 3512 (Columbia Graphaphone)


Filmography

*'' The Flower of Hawaii'' (1953) (Tau, Rose, Lani, Dorian Moe)


Awards

2004 (Tau Moe as an individual)
Living Treasures of Hawai'i The Living Treasures of Hawaii program was created in 1976 by the Buddhist temple Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii to honor residents of Hawaii. It was inspired by the Living National Treasures of Japan award, and is awarded annually. The criter ...
Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii ( ja, 本派本願寺ハワイ別院, ''Honpa Honganji Hawai Betsuin'') is a district of the Nishi (West) Hongwanji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, a school of Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism. History Jodo S ...


See also

Josefa Moe John "Josefa" Moe (May 1, 1933 – November 3, 2006) was an entertainer and artist. Biography Early life Moe was born "on the road" in Jubbulpore, India to Samoan father Pulu and Filipino/ Hawaiian mother Louisa, then musical stars touring w ...
(1933–2006) – Tau's nephew, the original Moki from the
Hawaiian Punch Hawaiian Punch is a brand of fruit punch currently manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper, originally invented in 1934 by A.W. Leo, Tom Yeats, and Ralph Harrison as a topping for ice cream. It was started from an original syrup flavor called Leo's Hawai ...
commercials.


References


Bibliography

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External links


Rare Recordings of Tau Moe – Steel Guitar ForumTau Moe Family Discography at CD Universe
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moe, Tau Guitarists from Hawaii 1908 births 2004 deaths Steel guitarists American people of Samoan descent 20th-century American guitarists