Kalaoa

Kahale Ali‘i Keana‘āina
March 2013

Born and still residing in Kalaoa, Kona, Kahale Aliʻi Keanaʻāina attended Kealakehe high school. He shares, “My main goal is to raise awareness of the haku mele and urge our people to perpetuate this unique way of honoring our cultural values through language. It is a valuable practice to know our traditional wahi pana rather than the new names given to the spaces that we frequent today.”

I ka nani o Kalaoa, poina ʻole
Ke anuanu hoʻi me ke kēhau
ʻĀlohilohi nei hulali ʻana o ka mauʻu
He uʻi lani ke ‘ike aku
Hoʻopulu ʻana o ka pua nei la, pua melia
E ‘ako mai nei, kui wau ka lei
Haʻina ʻia mai ke aloha o ka ʻāina, o Kalaoa nei
Ke anuanu hoʻi me ke kēhau

In the beauty of Kalaoa, unforgettable
The returning chill among the morning dew
Sparkle, glittering of the grass
A beauty seen here and there
Dampening comes to the flowers, plumeria flower
Pluck and sew a lei
Tell the story of love for this land of Kalaoa
The returning chill among the morning dew

Haku mele note: Kalaoa is my home on the hillside of Hualalai Mountain where I am greeted every morning by the crisp cool air and the shimmering dew upon the grass. This song is about a few of things that I love about my home.