Na ka Mauna Kea la i kono mai a`u
E naue i ka `âina malihini
`Âina kaulana o Hilo Hanakahi
`Âina ho`ohie a ka malihini
He aloha Mokuola a e kû nei
I ka uluwehi ka lau o ka nui
E kîlohi i ka nani o Waiakea
Me ke one `anapa i Waiolama
Mâlama ke aloha waiho i loko
Kau nui aku nei kahi mana`o
E `ike iâ Waiânuenue
I laila ho`i hope na malihini
E `ike i ka nani a`o ka Wahine
Ko mai ke `ala a`o ka maile
Na kâhiko `ia a `oia uka
He nahele ia puîa me ka lehua
Lei ho`ohihi hoi a ka malihini
`Ike i ka nani a`o Halema`uma`u
Me ke ahi kaulana a ka Wahine
Pehea mai `oe Uwekahuna
Me ka pali kapu o Kamohoali`i
He ali`i nui `oe na ka malihini
O nei `âina pahoehoe
Aloha ia uka me ka onaona
O wili lei rose lei `ohelo
Mana`o a`e au e ho`i i ka home
Ika uluwehiwehi o Kapâlama
Ke huli ho`i nei ka Mauna Kea
E `ike i ka nani a o ka kaona
Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana
Lei `ohu`ohu i ka lei Pa`i Niu
Ha`ina hou `ia mai ana ka puana
Ku`u lei mokihana poina `ole
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The invitation came from the Mauna Kea
To go and see the beauties of the strange land
A famous land is Hilo Hanakahi
A land admired by visitors
Beloved is Mokuola, standing near
Adorned with the leaves of the coco palms
A glance at the beauty of Waiakea
And the sparkling sands of Waiolama
Leaving this ship that has taken care of us
The mind is set on seeing
Waiânuenue Falls
From there the visitors turn back
To see the beauty of the goddess (Pele)
The fragrance of the maile is wafted hither
The adornment of that upland
Filled with the fragrance of lehua
Lei much liked by visitors
To see the beauty of Halema`uma`u
And the famous fire of the goddess
How fare you, O Uwekahuna
And the sacred cliff of Kamohoali`i
A chief are you to the visitors
Of this lava covered land
Beloved is the upland and its fragrance
There is combined a lei of roses and `ôhelo berries
I think of going home
To the lovely grove of Kapâlama
The Mauna Kea is on its homeward way
To see the beauty of the town
This ends my song
Adorned with the lei of Pa`i Niu
Again my song ends
For my unforgettable mokihana lei
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| Source: King's Hawaiian Melodies - This Mauna
Kea is the inter-island steamship. Verse 2. Hanakahi was a beloved ancient
chief of
Hilo and this area has since been called Hilo of Hanakahi. Verse 3, Mokuola
(island of healing) is the Hawaiian name of Coconut Island in Hilo Bay.
Under the flat table rock called Papa-a-Hina (stratum of Hina) is where
umbilical cords of babies were hidden. Verse 4, the sands of Waiolama,
between Hilo and Waiakea, used to sparkle because of the olivine mixed
in the sand. This is no longer true.Waiânuenue is Rainbow Falls and
Uwêkahuna
is the bluff above Kilauea Crater. Verse 11, Kamohoali`i was the older
brother of Pele who led the migration to Hawai`i in the Pele narratives.
Verse 13, the lei was entwined with `ôhelo berries and small pink
roses that grow only at the volcano. Verse 16, Pa`i Niu is a native Hawaiian
lily that grows in clumps. The silver or tan leaves are long and narrow
and the upper part of the leaf is peeled off revealing white strips like
cellophane that are made into lei. This lei was proof that one had visited
Kilauea. Verse 1 translation from King's Hawaiian Melodies.
Verse
2-17 translated
by Mary Pukui. Copyright
1916, 43 Charles E. King |