Kuhiau - Joseph Ka`ehu & Vickie I`i Rodrigues

A ka la`i au a`i Kuhiau
`Alo ana `o Hiku, i ka moana

Ua hele â hîlala nâ kia
Kiki`i nâ pe`a i ka makani

Walawala ka pumi ma hope
Hulei lua i ka `ili kai

Ka hoe uli kâpapa o luna
Ua lewa lalo,`oni pono `ole

`O ke kau a ka manu o Ka`ula
Ha`i `ia ka `ino o ka moana

Ha`ina ka puana i lohe `ia
`Alo ana `o Hiku i ka moana


In the calm, I was at Kuhiau
The "Seven" is going to sea

The masts heel over
The sails tilt in the wind

The boom lifts up and back
Tosses again to the surface of the sea

The rudder extends out above
Dangles down shifting uselessly

The perching of the bird of Ka`ula
This tells of the storm from the ocean

Tell the story, let it be heard
The "Seven" is sailing out to sea


Source: Moana Chang CD "Boat Days in Hawai`i" Hula Records - This ancient chant composed about a hundred years ago, was very popular at that time and by the1920's, four other chanters in Kaua`i gave their versions to Helen Roberts, for her study on Ancient Hawaiian Music. All of these versions give the name of the ship as Heki, Hiti or Hetty. This version credits the composer as Joseph Kaehu of Ha`ena Kaua`i,and was set to music by Vickie I`i Rodrigues, who shared it with her cousin, Agnes Malabey Weisbarth. Here, the ship is called Hiku or Seven. Kuhiau was the heiau above Nawiliwili Bay, Kaua`i. The chanter was inspired as he watched the Hiku, a sailing vessel, from the heights. Translation by Kini Sullivan