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MELE: SONGS AND STORIES

Traditional Mele - de Silva collection


Welina O‘ahu
Kumu hula and award-winning musician Manu Boyd shares some of his favorite mele Hawaiʻi in our new series, Mele Hoʻoheno – Cherished Songs. We invite you to join him (and some very special guests) as he explores the meaning and significance of each song while offering personal memories, reflections, and anecdotes that help bring the story to life. E nanea mai!

Keawe ‘O‘opa
Halehale ke aloha a i Ha‘ikū ē, Aniani mai ana kona aloha. Deep, deep is the love at Ha‘ikū, Where the loved one beckons.

Hole Waimea
Hole Waimea i ka ihe a ka makani, Hao mai nā ʻale a ke Kīpuʻupuʻu. Waimea is tousled with shafts of the wind, While the Kīpuʻupuʻu puffs in gusts.

‘Alekoki
ʻAʻole i manaʻo ʻia, Kahi wai aʻo ʻAlekoki. Not worthy of consideration, Is ʻAlekoki pool.

No Luna i ka Hale Kai
No luna i ka hale kai no ka ma‘alewa, Nānā ka maka iā Moananuikalehua. From above at Kahalekai, from Kama‘alewa, The eyes gaze at Moananuikalehua.

Three Train Chants for Lili‘uokalani [Hō‘alo i ka Ihu o ka Lanakila]
‘O Lanakila ke ka‘a ahi ali‘i, Nāna i lawe mai kahu aupuni. Lanakila was the Royal Train, That bore hither the Crown Princess.

He Ma‘i no ‘Iolani
He ma‘i no ka lani—ke naue a‘e lā, He ma‘i no ka lani—ke ki‘ei mai lā. The chief’s ma‘i—there it goes! The chief’s ma‘i—‘tis peeping in.

He Inoa no Kūali‘i
Ke holo nei Kū i Kaua‘i, E ‘ike i ka ‘o‘opu o Hanakapī‘ai. Kū is traveling to Kaua‘i, To see the small-eyed ‘o‘opu of Hanakapī‘ai.

Ke Ala a ka Jeep
Inā ‘oe e kau ana i ke ka‘a Jeep, He loa ke ala e hele ai, he kāhulihuli. If you’re getting in the Jeep, The road we travel will be long, and you’ll be tossed about.

I Mauna Lahilahi ko Wehi (Ka‘iulani)
I Mauna Lahilahi ko wehi, ʻO ka pua māmane melemele. Your adornment is at Mauna Lahilahi, The golden hued māmane blossoms.

‘A‘ole Au i Makemake iā Kona
ʻAʻole au i makemake iā Kona, ʻO Kaʻū kaʻu. I do not care for Kona, For Kaʻū is mine. Learn more about this mele written for Kaʻū, the district where Mary Kawena Pukui was born on April 20, 1895.

Noho ana ka Wahine (Pauahi ‘o Kalani)
Noho ana ka wahine, I ke anu o Mānā. The woman dwells, In the cold of Mānā.

‘Āhia
A luna au o ‘Āhia, aha, Ha‘a ana ka lehua i ka wai. I was all the way up at ‘Āhia, Where the lehua bends low into the water.

‘O Kona Kai ‘Ōpua i ka La‘i
‘O Kona kai ‘ōpua i ka la‘i, ‘Ōpua hīnano i ka malie. Kona, sea and ‘ōpua clouds in the calm, Hīnano-like clouds in the stillness.

He ‘Ai na ka Lani (He ‘Ai no Kalani Kalākaua)
Ke ʻai nei ʻo ka lani, Hāmau ʻoukou lākou nei aʻe. The royal one is dining now, You should all be silent.

Hana Waimea
Hana Waimea i ka ‘upena a ka makani, Ka ‘alihi pīkoi a ke Kīpu‘upu‘u. Waimea readies a net of wind, Its leading edge is made of the Kīpu‘upu‘u rain.

E Ho‘i ka Nani i Mānā
E ho‘i ka nani i Mānā, I laila nā lede huapala. May the beauty return to Mānā, The beautiful ladies are there.

A ka Luna o Pu‘uonioni
A ka luna o Pu‘uonioni, Ke anaina a ka wahine. From the heights of Pu‘uonioni, (I saw) the company of women (sisters of Pele).

A Maunakea ‘o Kalani
A Maunakea ‘o Kalani, ‘Ike maka iā Waiau. The Heavenly One is at Maunakea, To visit Waiau.