# Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Desha

Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Desha (née Miller; January 16, 1864 – February 28, 1949) was a highly regarded Hawaiian composer, musician and kumu hula during the Kingdom of Hawaii and throughout her life. She is descended from notable chiefly lines.

## Birth and early life

She was one of five children. Her father was Alika (Alexander) Mela (Miller). She, along with her mother, Kapuailohiawahine Kanuha Miller, herself a notable kumu hula, composer and dancer of her time, would teach the dance in a secret Hawaiian hālau. Isabella's sibling's included John Mahiʻai Miller/Kāneakua.
Isabella married George Langhern Desha, the Postmaster for Hilo, Hawaii, and had four children, including William Francis Desha and Helen Desha Beamer. In his book, Learn to Play Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Keola Beamer writes that Helen Beamer and her mother Isabella would dance the hula, Kūwili as a spontaneous celebration during family gatherings.
She is the matriarch of the Beamer musical dynasty, considered the most notable musical family in the history of the Hawaiian islands. The family includes award winning musicians, composers, historians and activists that have perpetuated Hawaiian culture and history for over 100 years. She was forced to teach the hula in secret due to the puritanical beliefs of the Calvinist missionaries.

## Beamer method of hula

During the reign of King David Kalakaua, the formerly banned native dance known as hula was given a mandate from the monarch to be brought back to both the Royal Court and in public display. Many of the hula master of the time came forward from different parts of the islands representing different parts of the old aliʻi kingdoms. Through this restoration of the dance, was preserved the identification of the original four aliʻi kingdoms through chant.

## Family tree

vteBeamer, Desha, Kāneakua, Miller family tree :
| Mela (Miller) | Mela (Miller) | Mela (Miller) | Mela (Miller) | Mela (Miller) | Mela (Miller) | Kānekapōlei | Kānekapōlei | Kānekapōlei | Kānekapōlei | Kānekapōlei | Kānekapōlei | | | | | | | | | Kaialii | Kaialii | Kaialii | Kaialii | Kaialii | Kaialii | | | Poimoa | Poimoa | Poimoa | Poimoa | Poimoa | Poimoa | | | | | Kilinahe | Kilinahe | Kilinahe | Kilinahe | Kilinahe | Kilinahe | | | Lama (w) | Lama (w) | Lama (w) | Lama (w) | Lama (w) | Lama (w) | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Alexander P. Miller Jr. (Alika Mela) | Alexander P. Miller Jr. (Alika Mela) | Alexander P. Miller Jr. (Alika Mela) | Alexander P. Miller Jr. (Alika Mela) | Alexander P. Miller Jr. (Alika Mela) | Alexander P. Miller Jr. (Alika Mela) | | | Kapuailohia Wahine Kanuha Kaialiilii. | Kapuailohia Wahine Kanuha Kaialiilii. | Kapuailohia Wahine Kanuha Kaialiilii. | Kapuailohia Wahine Kanuha Kaialiilii. | Kapuailohia Wahine Kanuha Kaialiilii. | Kapuailohia Wahine Kanuha Kaialiilii. | | | Ai | Ai | Ai | Ai | Ai | Ai | | | Namakalele | Namakalele | Namakalele | Namakalele | Namakalele | Namakalele | | |
| Charles Makee | Charles Makee | Charles Makee | Charles Makee | Charles Makee | Charles Makee | Sarah Kaʻili Miller | Sarah Kaʻili Miller | Sarah Kaʻili Miller | Sarah Kaʻili Miller | Sarah Kaʻili Miller | Sarah Kaʻili Miller | | | John Mahiʻai Miller/Kaneakua (Oct. 9, 1860-Jan. 26, 1936) County Clerk of Kaua‘i Hui Hawaiian Aloha ʻĀina | John Mahiʻai Miller/Kaneakua (Oct. 9, 1860-Jan. 26, 1936) County Clerk of Kaua‘i Hui Hawaiian Aloha ʻĀina | John Mahiʻai Miller/Kaneakua (Oct. 9, 1860-Jan. 26, 1936) County Clerk of Kaua‘i Hui Hawaiian Aloha ʻĀina | John Mahiʻai Miller/Kaneakua (Oct. 9, 1860-Jan. 26, 1936) County Clerk of Kaua‘i Hui Hawaiian Aloha ʻĀina | John Mahiʻai Miller/Kaneakua (Oct. 9, 1860-Jan. 26, 1936) County Clerk of Kaua‘i Hui Hawaiian Aloha ʻĀina | John Mahiʻai Miller/Kaneakua (Oct. 9, 1860-Jan. 26, 1936) County Clerk of Kaua‘i Hui Hawaiian Aloha ʻĀina | | | Lucy Kaʻumealani Cummings | Lucy Kaʻumealani Cummings | Lucy Kaʻumealani Cummings | Lucy Kaʻumealani Cummings | Lucy Kaʻumealani Cummings | Lucy Kaʻumealani Cummings | | | Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller. (1868-Nov. 24, 1933) | Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller. (1868-Nov. 24, 1933) | Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller. (1868-Nov. 24, 1933) | Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller. (1868-Nov. 24, 1933) | Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller. (1868-Nov. 24, 1933) | Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller. (1868-Nov. 24, 1933) | | | Daisy Amoe Ai | Daisy Amoe Ai | Daisy Amoe Ai | Daisy Amoe Ai | Daisy Amoe Ai | Daisy Amoe Ai | | | George Langhern Desha | George Langhern Desha | George Langhern Desha | George Langhern Desha | George Langhern Desha | George Langhern Desha | Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Miller (1865-Feb. 28, 1949) | Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Miller (1865-Feb. 28, 1949) | Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Miller (1865-Feb. 28, 1949) | Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Miller (1865-Feb. 28, 1949) | Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Miller (1865-Feb. 28, 1949) | Isabella Haleʻala Kaʻili Miller (1865-Feb. 28, 1949) | Noa Miller | Noa Miller | Noa Miller | Noa Miller | Noa Miller | Noa Miller |
| Charles Miller | Charles Miller | Charles Miller | Charles Miller | Charles Miller | Charles Miller | | | | | | | Sakichi Hayashi | Sakichi Hayashi | Sakichi Hayashi | Sakichi Hayashi | Sakichi Hayashi | Sakichi Hayashi | | | Annie Maikaʻi Miller | Annie Maikaʻi Miller | Annie Maikaʻi Miller | Annie Maikaʻi Miller | Annie Maikaʻi Miller | Annie Maikaʻi Miller | | | Charles Hoolulu Siemsen | Charles Hoolulu Siemsen | Charles Hoolulu Siemsen | Charles Hoolulu Siemsen | Charles Hoolulu Siemsen | Charles Hoolulu Siemsen | | | Peter Carl Beamer | Peter Carl Beamer | Peter Carl Beamer | Peter Carl Beamer | Peter Carl Beamer | Peter Carl Beamer | | | Helen Kapuailohia Desha (Sept. 8, 1882–Sept. 25, 1952) | Helen Kapuailohia Desha (Sept. 8, 1882–Sept. 25, 1952) | Helen Kapuailohia Desha (Sept. 8, 1882–Sept. 25, 1952) | Helen Kapuailohia Desha (Sept. 8, 1882–Sept. 25, 1952) | Helen Kapuailohia Desha (Sept. 8, 1882–Sept. 25, 1952) | Helen Kapuailohia Desha (Sept. 8, 1882–Sept. 25, 1952) | | | David Lester Desha | David Lester Desha | David Lester Desha | David Lester Desha | David Lester Desha | David Lester Desha |
| | | | | | | James Waichiro Miller | James Waichiro Miller | James Waichiro Miller | James Waichiro Miller | James Waichiro Miller | James Waichiro Miller | | | Milton Hoʻolulu Beamer (October 18, 1903 - ) | Milton Hoʻolulu Beamer (October 18, 1903 - ) | Milton Hoʻolulu Beamer (October 18, 1903 - ) | Milton Hoʻolulu Beamer (October 18, 1903 - ) | Milton Hoʻolulu Beamer (October 18, 1903 - ) | Milton Hoʻolulu Beamer (October 18, 1903 - ) | | | Kaaloehukaiopuaena Copp | Kaaloehukaiopuaena Copp | Kaaloehukaiopuaena Copp | Kaaloehukaiopuaena Copp | Kaaloehukaiopuaena Copp | Kaaloehukaiopuaena Copp | | | Francis Kealiʻinohopono Beamer | Francis Kealiʻinohopono Beamer | Francis Kealiʻinohopono Beamer | Francis Kealiʻinohopono Beamer | Francis Kealiʻinohopono Beamer | Francis Kealiʻinohopono Beamer | | | Louise Leiomälama | Louise Leiomälama | Louise Leiomälama | Louise Leiomälama | Louise Leiomälama | Louise Leiomälama | | | Harriet Kekahiliokalani Beamer | Harriet Kekahiliokalani Beamer | Harriet Kekahiliokalani Beamer | Harriet Kekahiliokalani Beamer | Harriet Kekahiliokalani Beamer | Harriet Kekahiliokalani Beamer | Peter Carl Kaleikaʻapunihonua Beamer Jr. | Peter Carl Kaleikaʻapunihonua Beamer Jr. | Peter Carl Kaleikaʻapunihonua Beamer Jr. | Peter Carl Kaleikaʻapunihonua Beamer Jr. | Peter Carl Kaleikaʻapunihonua Beamer Jr. | Peter Carl Kaleikaʻapunihonua Beamer Jr. | Helen Elizabeth Kawohikukapulani Beamer | Helen Elizabeth Kawohikukapulani Beamer | Helen Elizabeth Kawohikukapulani Beamer | Helen Elizabeth Kawohikukapulani Beamer | Helen Elizabeth Kawohikukapulani Beamer | Helen Elizabeth Kawohikukapulani Beamer |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mahi Beamer | Mahi Beamer | Mahi Beamer | Mahi Beamer | Mahi Beamer | Mahi Beamer | Odell Steppe | Odell Steppe | Odell Steppe | Odell Steppe | Odell Steppe | Odell Steppe | Winona Beamer | Winona Beamer | Winona Beamer | Winona Beamer | Winona Beamer | Winona Beamer |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Keola Beamer | Keola Beamer | Keola Beamer | Keola Beamer | Keola Beamer | Keola Beamer | | | Kapono Beamer | Kapono Beamer | Kapono Beamer | Kapono Beamer | Kapono Beamer | Kapono Beamer |