He Lei No Kaho‘olawe
Na Kahakulielehua
Written by William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u Ching in 1998 after a trip to Kanaloa/Kaho‘olawe in August of the preceding year. This is not only a mele pana calling upon the places of that island and its natural phenomenon but also a mele inoa for Kanaloa, the god, for which Kaho‘olawe is named. The whole island is considered to be a physical manifestation of Kanaloa. Kanaloaʻs domain consists of the sea and everything that dwells within. Kanaloa is also the god of fresh water found within the earth.
He lei, he aloha no Kaho‘olawe,
Ke kama ‘ula a Papa i hānau,
Ke kino moku kapu o Kanaloa
Pū‘ia i ke kai holuholu lā ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
Hānau ka Palaoa, ‘au i ke kai,
Ka‘ika‘i i ke kai o ‘Alalākeiki,
He keiki ali‘i ‘o ka nai‘a
Ua hiki mai nei, mai Hanakanai‘a lā ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
Kū uaki mau ‘o Pu‘u Moa‘ula,
Kuamoanahā lāua (‘o) Kamohio,
Ua nōweo ‘ula i ka lā welo,
Ua pi‘i ‘o Makali‘i i ka lani lā ‘ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
Me he waha ala ‘o Kanapou
‘O Kamohoali‘i, (ka) makahiapo,
Ua ho‘okuapōla‘o ‘o Ka‘ehuiki,
Akaku‘u mai ke ali‘i o ka manō lā ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
Aia i ka uka o Pu‘u Mōiwi
Nā pōhaku pa‘a i ka lua kāko‘i,
E aloha mai e ka manu ‘iwa ho‘ola‘i,
Lanalana i luna o ka Laeokūka‘iwa ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
Eia a‘e ‘o Lono-i-ka-makahiki
Keāliawai a Pu‘ukamama,
Ua lako pono ka wa‘a pōmaika‘i,
‘oku‘u ‘ia ma Kealakahiki lā ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
Ua ‘ike kōnale ‘ia mai ka honu
Ma Ahupū nō a‘o Wa‘aiki,
Mā‘ama‘ama ‘o ka Lae Kuikui,
Huli ho‘i nō a Hakioawa lā ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
Hea i ka nāulu i ka Hale o Lono,
Hō‘ola ana i nā pua hinahina,
He lei, he aloha no Kaho‘olawe,
Ke kino moku kapu o Kalaloa lā ē, ‘ea lā, ‘ea lā, ei!
A lei, an expression of affection for Kaho‘olawe,
Red child born to Papa,
The sacred body of Kanaloa
Dwells together with the moving currents of the sea.
Born is the Palaoa, living in the sea,
Parading through the waters of ‘Alalākeiki,
A chiefly child is the nai‘a
Arriving from Hanakanai‘a.
Always standing is Pu‘u Moa‘ula,
Kuamoanahā is there with Kamohio,
Bright red is the setting sun,
Makali‘i has ascended the heavens.
Kanapou is like a mouth
Of Kamohoali‘i, the first born,
Ka‘ehu (Ka‘ehuikimanōopu‘uloa) pays tribute,
The chief of the shark is appeased (Kamohoali‘i).
There in the uplands of Pu‘u Mōiwi
Are the basalt stones in the adze quarry,
Love to the ‘iwa soaring in the calm,
Soaring above Laeokūka‘iwa.
Here is Lono-of-the-makahiki
Crossing the ridges of Keāliawai and Pu‘ukamama,
Filled is the canoe with abundance,
Released at Kealakahiki.
The honu is seen
First at ‘Ahupū then at Wa‘aiki,
Kuikui Point lights the way,
Returning to Hakioawa.
The nāulu rains are summoned at the Hale o Lono,
Giving life to the hinahina blossoms,
A lei, an expression of affection for Kaho‘olawe,
The sacred body of Kanaloa.
