Pua Roselani - Words & music by Charles E. King

Ua `ike maka au i ka nani
O ka uka `iu o Kapela
I laila ho`oheno ai na manu
Me ka pua `ala onaona

Hui:
Aloha ku`u pua roselani
Ku`u pua i `anoi`i ai la
He nani lua `ole kou
Nou ka `i`ini a loko
Puîa ia uka i ke `ala
He ala ho`ohihi na`u
He lei onaona `oe la
Ha`aheo ho`i au ko aloha

Ua nani ku`u pua roselani
Ua noho ia e ka onaona
He lei he wehi `oe no ku`u kino
A he lei makamae `oe na`u


 I have seen the beauty
Of the distant upland of Kapela
There the birds delight one
And the fragrance of the flowers

Chorus:
Aloha to my roselani
The flower I am fond of
Yours is a beauty incomparable
The desire of my heart
The upland is imbued with fragrance
A fragrance that appeals to me
A sweet lei are you
That makes me, your lover, proud

Beautiful is my roselani
A flower ever fragrant
A lei to adorn my body
A precious lei are you to me
Source: King's Hawaiian Melodies Copyright 1926, 43, Charles E. King - The roselani or lokelani is the pink rose of Castile introduced to Hawai`i in the early days of foreign travel. It has a round leaf and is very thorny. It once grew abundantly on Maui, but is now rare and has been substituted by the small common red rose. The Kahuli, another rose that blooms pale and subsequently darkens, is also confused with the true lokelani. Translated by Mary Pukui.