Ukulele

Two years ago my stepmother Stefni was fighting cancer. On one of my visits she asked me if there was anything I wanted, that she could give to me at the time rather than waiting until she was gone. I had noticed a ukulele case in her work room, and asked sheepishly if I could have it. I have a really hard time asking for things I want. It somehow seems shameful, even though the rational part of my mind suggests that if I never ask for that I want, I am unlikely to get it. I guess I was also feeling like I shouldn't be wanting objects when the one thing I really wanted was for Stefni to be well.

She said that sure I could have the ukulele, but warned me that it wasn't a very good one. I told her that what I really wanted was an instrument to play and learn on. It didn't matter that much if it wasn't so great. So I took it home.

Maybe a few months later, I took it out of its case and stared at it. It was out of tune and I had no idea how to tune it. I know how to turn tuning pegs, and how to tune a string, but I didn't know what I was aiming for. So, it went back into its case and into my own work room, and was soon buried under yarn, clothes in need of repair, and fabric.

Two years later, I finally decided to go to the monthly ukulele jam at my favorite coffee shop. They provide music and offer ukes to borrow, so I sat with about 20 other beginners and plinked out some chords, and sang some songs. The jam itself was like sitting through a 4th grade music class's recorder rendition of Twinkle Twinke Little Star, but it lit a fire under my butt. I visited my local luthier and mooned over a few ukuleles and music books. I unearthed Stefni's ukulele and I tuned it! I bought some song books. And I looked up the brand on the label inside the body of the ukulele. It says Kamaka Ukuleles in black and red ink on a rectangular gold foil label.

Much to my surprise, Kamaka sells really good quality ukuleles. Based on the label and the fingerboard style, Stefni's ukulele was built some time between 1957 and 1969, according to the Kamaka website. It also has a small sticker on the back of the head that says "Fabricated by Kamaka Japan Ltd. Hand-Finished by Kamaka-Hawaii Inc", which the website has no information about. I brought it to Gryphon, and they had never seen what they called a Japanese Kamaka, but they'd heard of them. A couple of the guys at the shop played a few tunes on the ukulele, and it sounded pretty nice. I hope I can get that kind of tone and action out of it eventually.

My father says that Stefni took a trip to Hawaii in the late 60s, and probably bought it then as a souvenir. To me, it's a chance to learn on a good quality instrument, and it's also one of the many many things I have in my house that remind me of Stefni every day. I wouldn't say that playing the ukulele is going to remind me of Stefni, because I never heard her play, but knowing that it was hers and that she gave it to me makes me happy.