Ming Luhulima, also known as Lou Lima was a Netherlands-based recording artist originally from the

Maluku Islands The Maluku Islands ( ; , ) or the Moluccas ( ; ) are an archipelago in the eastern part of Indonesia. Tectonics, Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located in West ...

, which were part of the

Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...

. He was closely associated with Rudi Wairata during his career. Luhulima was a member of the

Amboina Serenaders The Amboina Serenaders were a successful and popular group that did well in the Netherlands in the 1950s. Its members included Ming Luhulima, Rudi Wairata and Joyce Aubrey, the ex-wife of George de Fretes. They had a top ten hit in the Netherl ...

and the

Mena Moeria Minstrels The Mena Moeria Minstrels were a popular Netherlands based Hawaiian music group. They were made up of mainly Moluccans from the former Dutch East Indies colony. The group was originally led by steel guitarist Rudi Wairata and also featured Joyce ...

, and also led the Krontjong Ensemble Pantja Warna.

Background

Luhulima, a

Moluccan Moluccans are the Melanesian-Austronesian and Papuan-speaking ethnic groups indigenous to the Maluku Islands (also called the Moluccas). The region was historically known as the Spice Islands, and today consists of two Indonesian provinces of ...

musician became a well-known artist in the Netherlands, and like

George de Fretes George de Fretes (1921-1981) was a musician from Indonesia who found fame in the Netherlands. Like his fellow countrymen Ming Luhulima and Rudi Wairata, he found sizable popularity in the Netherlands and Europe playing Hawaiian music. Backgroun ...

had gained fame there. In addition to being a singer, he also played guitar and ukulele. Along with George de Fretes, he was responsible for the promotion of the Portuguese style or genre of music in the Netherlands called

Kroncong Kroncong (pronounced "kronchong"; , ) is the name of a ukulele-like instrument and an Indonesian musical style that typically makes use of the kroncong (the sound ' comes from this instrument, so the music is called ''kroncong''). A ''kroncong'' ...

Career

1950s

One of the groups Luhulima was in was the Netherlands-based Mena Muria Minstrels. This group was formed by Rudi Wairata and featured Joyce Aubrey the ex-wife of George De Fretes. Another group he was in was The Amboina Serenaders. By 1953, the line up was Jack Salakory, Rudi Wairata, Joyce Aubrey, Luhulima and Joop Sahanaya. The serenaders, previously called The Mena Moeria Minstrels had lost Rudi Wairata due to a disagreement within the group. That year Luhulima became the leader. In 1958, he covered

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...

's "Island In The Sun" released as "Eiland In De Zon" bw "Conjo".

1960s

In 1962,

Omega Omega (, ; uppercase Ω, lowercase ω; Ancient Greek ὦ, later ὦ μέγα, Modern Greek ωμέγα) is the twenty-fourth and last letter in the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numerals, Greek numeric system/isopsephy (gematria), it has a value ...

released a single "Polynesian March" bw "Maori March" by the Mena Moeria Minstrels. The A-side "Polynesian March" was his composition. Two of his compositions "Hula Hula" bw "Aloha Honolulu" were recorded by Die Wicky-Wackys and released on the

Polydor Polydor Limited, also known as Polydor Records, is a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in ...

label in 1963. In 1968, the Ming Luhulima, Krontjong Ensemble ''Pantja Warna'' album was released on the Dureco label and featured three compositions by Luhulima, "Asmara-Murni", "Suami-Istri" and "Suara Baru". Before that release, another EP by Krontjong Ensemble "Pantja Warna" featured both Luhulima and Sylvia van Renesse on vocals.

Discography (solo)

Singles

; As Lou Lima * "Makan-patita" / "Aan de baai van Ambon" - CID 48 156 - (1957). * "Jij bent voor mij..." / "Afscheid van Jamaica" - CID 48 169 - (1957). * "Eiland In De Zon" ( Island In The Sun) / "Conjo" - CID 48.174 - (1957). * "Vooruit" / "Het lied van Nieuw-Guinea" - CID 48 177 - (1957). * "Spreken is zilver" / "O Christien" - Omega 35 299 - (1961).

Extended play

; As Lou Lima * "Eiland in de zon", "Conjo" / "Aan de baai van Ambon", "Makan-patita" - CID 75 891 - (1958).

Albums (compact discs)

; As Ming Luhulima * - Dureco 1155742 (HAX0360) - (1991).

Discography (with group)

Albums (LPs)

* Ming Luhulima And His Amboina Serenaders - ''Ming Luhulima And His Amboina Serenaders'' - Dureco – 51.005. * Ming Luhilima and his Amboina Serenaders - ''The Amboina Serenaders'' - GIP 2L 51.015/16 - (1967). * Krontjong Ensemble Pantja Warna o.l.v. Ming Luhulima - ''Krontjong Ensemble Pantja Warna* o.l.v. Ming Luhulima'' - Dureco 51.014 - (1968).Discog
Ming Luhulima Discography, Albums
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Luhulima, Ming Moluccan people 20th-century Indonesian male singers Ukulele players Indonesian composers People from North Maluku Dureco artists Moluccan musicians