Occupy APEC: Makana, Hawaiian Guitarist, Makes Statement At Wakiki Event (VIDEO)

A musician took a stand at last night's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gala, which was attended President Obama and a slew of world leaders.

Hawaiian guitarist Makana, who has performed at the White House, wore a shirt that read "Occupy With Aloha" and played a song inspired by the Occupy Wall Street protests.

"We'll occupy the streets, we'll occupy the courts, we'll occupy the offices of you, till you do the bidding of the many, not the few," he sang at the Wakiki event. "The time has come for us to voice our rage."

The tune, "We Are the Many", ran for 45 minutes long.

Hawaii locals joined the national movement last month, gathering in Honolulu's financial district. When the protesters tried to make camp, several were arrested.

The event occurred just days after a federal agent shot a local man. The agent has since been charged with second-degree murder.

Watch him perform below.

 

Comments

[DWAYNE CORREA]

05:54 AM on 11/22/2011

Cynics whined about Bob Dylan's voice too. The kid's got passion, creativity, talent, courage, and... perfect timing.

[SocialD7]

07:26 PM on 11/19/2011

The video version is incredible, Thank you Makana, your words are inspiring.

http://makanamusic.com/?slide=we-are-the-many

Now if you don't like Makana's song then this is probably more to your liking from a Tea Party super event.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x614585

[Al Nava]

12:14 AM on 11/15/2011

None of the world leaders were happy, including Obama!
Awesome!

[Theresa Ribaudo]

04:43 PM on 11/15/2011

I read on HP that Obama didn't take notice of the song.

[Sassinator333]

10:43 PM on 11/14/2011

Boy I'll tell you this guy's voice/singing is horrible.

[rubberneckduck]

03:26 PM on 11/14/2011

Makana's real mame is Mathew Swalinkavich.
This was a publicity stunt. Examine the trade deals Obama has recently made with APEC nations. They are regressive to the extreme.

[Kawaika]

05:26 PM on 11/14/2011

Are you saying that he is not Hawaiian because of his name? Makana was born and raised on Oahu and studied slack-key guitar from the great Sonny Chillingsworth. Is Sonny Chillingsworth not Hawaiian because of his name?

[Sassinator333]

10:42 PM on 11/14/2011

Wierd I didn't read anywhere that he had questioned how Hawwiian he was.

[Lion king]

12:10 AM on 11/15/2011

I went to elementary school with Matt and let me tell you he is not of Hawaiian ancestry. Have you seen his parents? Pure white to the bone. Matt is a wanna be Hawaiian swalinkavich.

[Bobby Whyaskin]

04:54 PM on 11/25/2011

How many times do you think you have to post that his name is not Makana, ya jackwagon. Bob Dylan was born Robert Alan Zimmerman. Does thsat make him any less a poet and musician?
Makana means 'gift' in Hawaiian. He is a great musician and I have seen and heard him live many times and his voice in concert and on his recordings is pure and true.
He played a much shorter version at the Nov 20 Slack Key Festival in Lihue, but it was awesome.
Don't comment on things you know nothing about.

[rubberneckduck]

03:24 PM on 11/14/2011

Makana's real name is Mattew Swalinkavich and this was a publicity stunt to assocaite Obama with Occupy. Obama is Wall Street's chosen one (he now has more Wall Street donations than ALL the GOP candidates combined.) The trade deals Obama has struck with APEC nations are ANYTHING but progressive as "Makana's" song lyrics.

[JTWallace]

02:33 PM on 11/14/2011

With rape, murder, drugs, filth, feces and kids used to fend off police.......what do we make of it. I know. Typical koolaid mentality.

[themainpoint]

08:35 AM on 11/14/2011

Youtube version going viral...

[Sassinator333]

10:42 PM on 11/14/2011

His voice is horrible

[jhink465]

01:44 PM on 11/16/2011

I know. You sing much better right? The difference is he is going viral and you, well.....

[Donald Persons]

07:27 AM on 11/14/2011

Art and music to raise consciousness about what's on the people's minds. I hope that all the national leaders of the 20 countries will find ways to engage the 99% in the political process.

[eden4barack08]

03:56 AM on 11/14/2011

Excellent. If that room was full of GOP "leaders", he would've been booted out, pepper sprayed, beaten, arrested, or all of the above.

Great song, Makana, keep singing it. And thank you to President Obama and his staff for not freaking out and letting him sing for 45 minutes!

[rubberneckduck]

03:28 PM on 11/14/2011

Or maybe it was a planned publicity stunt. If you think the itinerary's musical fare for an occasion of this magnitude is not vetted by many layers of security beforehand you are naive.
Makana's real name is Matthew Swalinkavich.

[eden4barack08]

04:13 AM on 11/15/2011

Publicity stunt or not, thank you to the President and his staff for letting him sing stands the same, doesn't it?

[Sassinator333]

10:44 PM on 11/14/2011

You're right especially with a voice like that.

[DaWahine]

03:48 AM on 11/14/2011

Awesome Makana!

I like that you no make beef, just low key kine occupied the air with your words.

[rubberneckduck]

03:29 PM on 11/14/2011

"Makana" = Matthew Swalinkavich.

[DaWahine]

08:32 PM on 11/14/2011

I can see why he has a stage name. but hisgiven name does not mean he does not understand pidgin.

[Toni skin]

03:18 AM on 11/14/2011

MAKANA
you rock, you the man, your are a hero in our time and you will be famous for this the rest of your life thank you for doing it.
Toni Kauai

[rubberneckduck]

03:29 PM on 11/14/2011

His real name is Matthew Swalinkavich.

[Sassinator333]

10:45 PM on 11/14/2011

Not with a voice like that he won't.

[Harvee Wallbanger]

03:11 AM on 11/14/2011

Kudos!

[bushfailure]

02:24 AM on 11/14/2011

good for you.

[erl92]

02:00 AM on 11/14/2011

I went thru many of his video's on youtube. This guy is a fine guitarist both of contemporary and Hawaiian style music.