ʻŌpae Ē - Words by Pilahi Paki, Music by Irmgard ʻĀluli

ʻŌpae ē,ʻŌpae ē
ʻŌpae hoʻi, ʻŌpae hoʻi
Ua hele mai au, ua hele mai au
Na kuahine
ʻAi iā wai ʻAi iā wai
ʻAi iʻa puhi ʻAi iʻa puhi
Nui ʻo puhi, a liʻiliʻi au
ʻAʻole loa

Pipipi ē, Pipipi ē
Pipipi hoʻi, Pipipi hoʻi
Ua hele mai au, ua hele mai au
Na kuahine
ʻAi iā wai, ʻAi iā wai
ʻAi iʻa puhi, ʻAi iʻa puhi
Nui ʻo puhi, a liʻiliʻi au
ʻAʻole loa

Pūpū ē, Pūpū ē
Pūpū hoʻi, Pūpū hoʻi
Ua hele mai au, ua hele mai au
Na kuahine
ʻAi iā wai, ʻAi iā wai
ʻAi iʻa puhi, ʻAi iʻa puhi
Nui ʻo puhi, a liʻiliʻi au
ʻAʻole loa

Kūpeʻe ē , Kūpeʻe ē
Kūpeʻe hoʻi, Kūpeʻe hoʻi
Ua hele mai au, ua hele mai au
Na kuahine
ʻAi iā wai, ʻAi iā wai
ʻAi iʻa puhi, ʻAi iʻa puhi
Nui ʻo puhi, a liʻiliʻi au
ʻAʻole loa

ʻOpihi ē, ʻOpihi ē
ʻOpihi hoʻi, ʻOpihi hoʻi
Ua hele mai au, ua hele mai au
Na kuahine
Mai makaʻu
Naʻu e pani
I ka maka lā puhi
Kēlā puhi

ʻŌpae
ʻŌpae
I have come to you
For my sister
With whom is she?
With puhi
Puhi is large and I am tiny
No way

Pipipi
Pipipi
I have come to you
For my sister
With whom is she?
With puhi
Puhi is large and I am tiny
No way

Pūpū
Pūpū
I have come to you
For my sister
With whom is she?
With puhi
Puhi is large and I am tiny
No way

Kûpe`e
Kûpe`e
I have come to you
For my sister
With whom is she?
With puhi
Puhi is large and I am tiny
No way

ʻOpihi
ʻOpihi
I have come to you
For my sister
Fear not
For I will cover
The eyes so that
Puhi can't see


Source: Legend tells of a maiden from Kahakuloa, Maui, wjho wasnkidnapped by an eel. Her brother, intent on saving her from the eel's cave, summoned sea creatures to help. All refused except the ʻopihi, who clamped themselves over the eel's eyes, blinding him. The brother was able to rescue his sister. ʻŌpae is shrimp, Pūpū is seashell, Pipipi is mollusk, Kūpʻe is marine snail, ʻOpihi is limpet.

Pilahi Paki