Hanau Ke Ali`i (Kamehameha Birth Chant) - Traditional |
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Hanau ke ali`i Kekuiapoiwa. I nakolo ka lani. I Welehu ka malama I kulia i lalapa maloko Ainakea. Kokohi ke maloko i laila Hanau kalani nui mehameha Ke ho`oeli o ke kapu. Ke pulikoliko o ka kapu. I naha maloko mai o Ainakea I eweewe ali`i i lalapa Maloko o Kekuiapoiwa O ka Mano nui kapu lalakea O ke ali`i o ka pali nui keikie O Malu ka lani, he kaha na `Awini E hi`i ana ia kalani nui mehameha Me he hulu nene la ka haki manawa O ka pali e ku nei He uli huna Malu no Paiea Kaha hulaana na Awini I hoao ana me Keahialaka Ke o o Paiea ali`i e o e . |
Kekuiapoiwa, the chiefess, gave birth The heavens rumbled Welehu (November) was the month (Life) was kindled and blazed inside of Ainakea The light was shaded there The great chief Kamehameha was born With the deepest kapu The highest kapu Breaking forth at Ainakea Of a family of chiefs that blazed forth From within Kekuiapoiwa A great, sacred, white-finned shark A chief of the great, tall cliff Sheltered was the heavenly one at the land of Awini There the great chief Kamehameha was borne in the arms Like the feather of a goose To the sheer cliff that stands there yet A dark shady spot to hide Paiea On the inaccessible cliff of Awini That is wedded to Keahialaka Answer to thy name chant, O chief Paiea |
Source: Bishop Museum Archives, Translated by Mary Pûku`i |