E Hīhīwai - Words & music & by Dennis Kamakahi
Aia i ka nani o Molokaʻi lā
I nā pali weliweli
o ke koʻolau
Hea mai ka leo hone
I ke ahiahi lā
I ka makani ʻekepue o ke awāwa
Hui:
E hīhīwai lā lae lae
E ho'i mai kāua lā
I ka ʻāina uluwehi o Wailau
Hanohano
wale nō
Ka wailele Kahiwa lā
A me ke kuahiwi ʻo Olokuʻi
Mele kākou nei a pau
I ka mele ʻāina lā
ʻO ka nani mae ʻole o ke ola mau
ʻO ka makani kuʻu leo
ʻO ke kai kuʻu puʻuwai
ʻO ka ʻāina uluwehi kuʻu nui kino
There in the beauty of
Molokaʻi
In the fearful cliffs of the
windward side
The sweet voice calls
In the evening hours
In the cold wind of the
valley
Chorus:
O hīhīwai
tra la la
Come back to me
To the lush and beautiful land
of Wailau
So glorious
Is the waterfall Kahiwa
And the mountain,
ʻOlokuʻi
Let us all sing together|
The song of the land
Of the never fading beauty of
life eternal
The wind is my voice
The sea is my heart
The lush and beautiful land is
my whole body
Source: Kamehameha Schools HSI - The natives of Wailau are compared to the fresh water limpets found in abundance in this Molokaʻi valley. The song calls the people back to their roots and rich heritage of our land. Translation by Dennis Kamakahi. Hawaiian Text edited by Puakea Nogelmeier. © Naukilo Publishing Co.
Hīhīwai