Maikai Ka ʻŌ iwi O Kaʻala - Mele Hoʻoipoipo

 

Maikaʻi ka ʻōiwi o Kaʻala
Molale i ka mālie
Mālō nā kīpo'ohiwi
O Kamaoha i ka nani

Pāpū i ke anu
I ka uka o Kalena
Ka umauma henahena
O ke kupukupu

Nanahe ka poli
O Kānehoa i ka nani
Paheʻe ke alo
Pakika i ka Waikōloa

Waliwali ka iwi ʻaoʻao
O Mālamanui
Nopa ke hoʻohuli mai
Iā Kanoenoe

Oki kalaina
A ke Kiuwailehua
Kāu mea ʻū palu, wali, unahe
ʻO ka pua i ka lā

Ke ʻalawa iho ʻoe
Iā Waialua ē
Pākelakela Mokulēʻia
Na ka maikaʻi

Pākehalaha, mākolukolu
Ākea ka waihona a ke Koʻolau
Mole ʻuaʻu ka lae
ʻO Kaʻena i ke kai

Hapapū nā lima
O Kaʻaiea i ka nani
ʻAeʻae ka ʻāʻ i
O ke koloa inu wai

E ake nō a hoʻolale
Iā Kawaihāpai
Kōkōhia mai
E Nēnēleʻa

Kāo'o Pōniuʻō hua
Pupue i ke anu
Liki honua i ke anu
Me ke koʻekoʻe

Ō mai ʻo Kalākaua
Ke aliʻi nona ia inoa!

The form of Mt. Kaʻala is fine and attractive
Clear there in the calm
Straight and firm are the squared shoulders
Of Kamaoha in its beauty

Clearly visible in the cold
Of the uplands of Kalena
Is the exposed heart
Of the kupukupu fern

Soft is the bosom
Of Kānehoa hill in the beauty
Smooth are the flanks
Slippery in the Waikōloa wind

Softly shaped is the rib
Of Mālamanui
Sedate when turning its attention
To Kanoenoe

Extraordinary is the carving
Of the shafts of the Kiuwailehua wind
That which you find gentle, soft, and sweet
Is the flower in the sun

When you glance down
Toward Waialua
Mokulēʻia excels all others
Because of its beauty

Spread out, expansive
Broad are the Koʻolau mountains
A home for the ʻuaʻu birds is the cape
Kaʻena, there in the sea

An incomplete work are the hands
Of Kaʻaiea in the splendor
Downy soft is the neck
Of the water-drinking koloa bird

Eager to stir up
To motivate Kawaihāpai
Held back, though, and restrained
By Nēnēleʻa

Pōniuʻō hua braces itself
Crouching in the cold
Suddenly stiff from the chill
And from the dampness

Respond to the call, o Kalākaua
The chief whose praise we proclaim

Source: Kealiʻi Reichel CD "Lei Halia" - A love chant adapted by Kalena Silva, edited by Puakea Nogelmeier