Ua hoʻokumu ʻia mai ʻo Pewa e Nicholas Lum i ala e kia ai ka manaʻo ma luna o ka hoʻoholo mua ma ke mele Hawaiʻi e kūʻonoʻono ai hoʻi ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi a me ka moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi. I loko nō o ka loli mau o ia he mele Hawaiʻi i loko o nā makahiki i kaʻa hope akula, mau nō naʻe ke kālele ʻana o ko kēia au ma luna o ka pālama pono ʻana i nā mele Hawaiʻi i haku ʻē ʻia me ka huli kua ʻana nō hoʻi i nā mea hou o kēia au e holo nei. Poina ʻia nō naʻe kēia manaʻo koʻikoʻi: ʻO nā mea kuʻuna a pau, he mea hoʻoholo mua ia i kona wā i kumu ai a no laila, he hoapili paʻa mau ke kuʻuna no ka hoʻoholo mua.

No laila, ʻaʻohe kumu e kūʻēʻē ai ke kuʻuna me ka hoʻoholo mua. ʻO ka mea e pono ai ka ʻimi ʻana i ala e pili paʻa mai ai ia mau ʻaoʻao ʻelua me ka minamina nō hoʻi i ke kumu ʻike ʻo ka haku mele nona mai ia mea aloha he mele Hawaiʻi. E like hoʻi me ka hoʻohana ʻia o ka pewa e paʻa pono ai he wahi muaiwa ma ka lāʻau, ʻo ka pahuhopu o Pewa ka hāpai ʻana aʻe he hoʻokahi wale nō laʻana o ka hoʻopili ʻana i ke kuʻuna me ka hoʻoholo mua ma ke mele Hawaiʻi.

Pewa is a musical endeavor envisioned by Nicholas Lum with the focus of innovation in mele Hawaiʻi to promote linguistic and cultural resiliency. Although stemming from a history of change, the modern attitude towards mele Hawaiʻi leans towards purism, clinging desperately to the comfort of tradition. Often forgotten is the fact that every tradition was once an innovation and, therefore, tradition and innovation are forever linked in an intimate relationship.

The problem lies not between tradition and innovation. The problem lies in the merging of the two in a responsible and culturally respectful way. Just as the butterfly patch secures a divide, Pewa hopes to provide just one solution to combine two complimentary perspectives.