Ka Beauty A‘o Mänoa -Words
& Music by Anthony K. Conjugacion |
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| Nani wale ke ‘ike i kakahiaka lä, Ke kuahiwi o Mänoa Ke noenoe mai nei ho‘opulu ana i ke one Pulu pë i ka ‘ilihia He beauty i ka(ta) ua Tuahine o Mänoa, Pä aheahe ka makani I ke ‘ala o ka laua‘e Ke onaona o nä pua mähiehie i ka wao I ka waokele i pali uliuli lä, Honehone i ka Puakea Ke pä wai a inu a kena heha i ka ho‘oluliluli, He mana‘o pono këia Puana e ka u‘i i ka uka o Mänoa I ka ‘ehu kakahiaka Pulu pë i ka ‘ilihia ho‘opulu ana i ke one Ke pili mai i ‘ane‘i Ka beauty a‘o Mänoa |
Beautiful to behold in the morning, The uplands of Mänoa With a gentle mist, quenching the land (I am) drenched in awe A beauty is the Tuahine rain of Mänoa, Engulfed in the breeze Bringing the sweet scent of the laua’e And the fragrance of the flowers in the forest In the forest and on the lush green cliffs, Sweetly kissed by the Puakea rain (One) can drink 'til satisfied to the hilt of pleasure. Ah! Such a good idea! So shall the uplands of Mänoa Remain beautiful in the morning Drenched in awe, the land is quenched, Here we shall be together (in) The beauty of Mänoa |
| Source: Tony C. - Mana‘o: The inspiration for this mele came to the composer when he would walk to work in the mornings, from lower Makiki to Mänoa uka. Originally a chant (mele hula), entitled “Ke Kuahiwi o Mänoa” composed in 1982, it was later put to music in 1984. On his morning treks, he would enjoy the cool and fragrant mornings, as he would walk along East Mänoa Road. The inspiration was all the precious things that we sometimes overlook in the rush of our lives. That awareness was encouraged by one of the composer’s hula mentors, Maiki Aiu Lake, whom at the time had her hälau at St. Francis High School, located in the valley. In 1985, it was recorded on the composer’s debut recording project, “Hawaiian Passion”, and was dedicated to Maiki as well as another of her students, Edward P. Kalähiki, Jr. In 1986, it attained a coveted “Nä Hökü Hanohano Award” for “Song of the Year”. Copyright 1985 (P) publishing 1991 Mountain Apple Company (all rights reserved) | |