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Püpü `O Ni`ihau - Words by Mary Robins, Music by Johnny Noble
Püpü 'o Ni`ihau Auhea `oe Ho`ike a'e `oe I kou nani     He nani hiehie `Oi kelakela Ka `i`ini nui ia O ku`u pu`uwai     Ho mai kou aloha A pili me a`u I ko`olua noho Kahi mehameha     I luna maua A`o Ha`upu `Upu a`e ke aloha Nou e ka ipo     Ka moena pawahe He`e iko ili I pumehana like a`i Ho`i kaua     Kaua naulu Noho i ka uka Ho`opulu ana `oe I ka palai     E ka wai huna ho`i Aka pao`o O ka wai kaulana Ana kupuna     E kanalu hai mai A`o Ohia Me na ulu hua noho Ika Hapapa     Aia ia kuhai Moana kau aloha Me ka paepae kapu A Hi`iaka     He aku no wau E o mai oe Pupu o Ni`ihau Auhea `oe     Ha`ina `ia mai Ana kapuana Pupu `o Ni`ihau Auhea `oe	Shells of Ni`ihau Where are you? Display Your beauty     An elegant beauty Held supreme It's the greatest desire Of my heart     Your love is drawn here Cling to me Just to be alone In each other's presence     We two were In the heights of Haupu Love surges Only for you     The fine woven mats (of Ni`ihau) Resemble the skin of the squid Clean and made with much aloha Come, it is for the two of us                                                     When I call You must answer Shells of Ni`ihau Where are you?     Tell the story About The shells of Niihau Where are you?
Source: Copyright Mileka Kanahele - Verse 5-10 from Ea Collection. This old love song may have been taken from a mele by Kauanuaulu Waili`ula. The pupu lei of Niihau is the most prized shell lei of Hawaii. The true Niihau shell is the small Kahelelani named for the benevolent chief of this island. The Kahelelani comes in brown, yellow, white, spreckled, red and pink; red and pink being the rarest and most valuable. The larger shells Momiokai (white), Lenalena (yellow), Onikiniki (spreckled), Laiki (rice shell), Uliuli (blue), Kahakaha (golden striped) are also used for leis. They are strung into lei styles called tutu, kanelii (man's lei), poepoe, poleholeho, hale, pololei (sweetheart or wedding) and pikake.