Kaiona

Kaiona - words & music by Puakea Nogelmeier
ʻAuana hele I ka uka I ka nahele hīhīpeʻa ʻUme ʻia mai e ke ʻala Ka ʻiʻini a ka puʻuwai. Hoʻolale ʻia e nā pua I ka nani hihimanu Huli aku, huli mai Ka hulina a ka puʻuwai. E hō mai ka ʻike e hō mai E Kaiona aloha I kuhia mai ke ʻala E hiki pono aku ai. Aia I ka lae makaʻa I ke āwawa konoūli Pāhiʻahiʻa ka helena Ka hihia a ka puʻuwai. Pua mau aʻe ke onaona E hōʻaleʻale mai ana Haʻina mai ka puana Ka lohia a ka puʻuwai	Wandering astray in the highlands Through the tangling forest deeps Drawn here by the perfumed scent Following the desires of the heart. Urged onward by the blossoms By the entrancing beauty Seeking this way and that, hither and yon So fickle is the nature of the heart. Grant the knowledge, share the insight O Beloved Kaiona, goddess of the lost Let the pathway be pointed out Which will lead directly there. On promontories with clear vistas In dark forested vale The going can be slippery and uncertain Such are entanglements of the heart. The sweet essence ever issues forth Always bringing a deep stirring within The story is know in the telling Of the bright sparkle of the heart
Source: Liner Notes, Kealiʻi Reichel CD "Keʻalaokamaile". Kaiona is the benevolent goddess of the lost. She makes her home in the Wai`anae mountain, but responds to those in need wherever they may stray. Said to be both blind and deaf, she knows when she is called upon and sends her birds to act as guides. In the densely wooded uplands or the urban jungle, sometimes the right path is hard to distinguish. We should remember to appreciate those in our lives who are patient enough to guide us back from life’s entanglements.