Kâneohe - by Abbie Kong & Johnny Noble


`Ôlapa ka uila i Kâne`ohe
Ka hui laulima o `i Laniwai
*(Ka hui lau lima Hi`ilaniwai)

Hui:
Me ka ua Apuakea
Ka la`i a`o Malûlani (Mololani)
Me ka anu o ke Ko`ôlau

Kaulana mai nei Ko`olaupoko
Ua `â ka uila a`i Kâne`ohe

Hanohano Môkapu i ka `ehu kai
Te tua motumotu a`o He`eia

Ho`okahi meahou ma He`eia
Ka uwea kelekalepa leo nahenahe

Aia `ike lihi o ka `âina
Kahi a ke aloha i walea ai

Walea ana `oe me ke onaona
Ku`u lei hulu mamo pili i ke anu

Ua ana ho`i au a i kô leo
Kô pane `ana mai pehea au

Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana
Ua `â ka uila a`i Kâne`ohe

Light flashes at the Kaneohe
Co-operative Society of Laniwai
*alternate stanza
 
Chorus:
The Apuakea rain
The peace of Malulani
The coolness of the Ko`olau
 
Famous is Ko`olaupoko
The lights go on at Kaneohe
 
The glory of Mokapu is the sea spray
And the jagged ridge of Heeia
 
The news at He`eia
Sweet-voiced telegraph wire
 
Glimpses of the land
Where love finds delight
 
Delight with the sweet one
My mamo feather lei in the coolness
 
Delighted by your voice
You ask, How am I?
 
Tell the refrain
The light goes on at Kaneohe
 

 

Source: Nâ Mele o Hawai`i Nei by Elbert & Mahoe - Written in the 1930's to commemorate the installation of electricity at Kaneohe, the mele also tells of a delightful love affair on the windward side of Oahu. Music clip by Lani Lee