Executive Vice President of Pacific Rim Bible College
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As a Christian leader and Executive Vice President of Pacific Rim
Bible College deeply involved in 'local' ministry, the Fuller Dmiss
format of two week intensive with face-to-face studies with our focused
cohort permits me to still remain active in Hawaii, and use the benefit
of technology like web access, email, etc to collaboratively critique
and encourage one another’s research in context. Furthermore, this
multicultural cohort provides a rich hue of perspectives which enhance
the projects praxis and enlarge our world view.
The purpose of my
research is to understand how the ukulele functions in Hawaii through
ukulele events in relationship the people in Hawaii, to express their
individual identity and yet foster community. The goal in this
research project is to discover what is happening when people gather to
perform at ukulele centered events by examining how the ukulele
functioned during events in the past and present, and identifying the
possibility for expressing our individual identity and yet build unity
through music and ultimately with implications for its use in the Hawaii
Foursquare Church.
I hope that my research will show that the
people find the ukulele an accessible instrument to play, sing, and
perform with. Ukulele event gatherings enable multi-ethnic people in
Hawaii to sing about songs that express their cultural individuality
while celebrating their Christian unity. I hope to develop guidelines
for the appropriate use of ukulele performance events the Hawaii
Foursquare Church that celebrates our cultural identity and our shared
Christian faith.