Pertaining to Mele

Perhaps the mele of old are almost all lost; those who know them are but few. This is something to be regretful of for in those mele, one can understand the way of life of the people of very long ago, and the stories of the land as well. The means for these mele to continue and not to be lost is by printing them in books and newspapers perhaps; in that way, the new generations can read them and contemplate over it and see the misconceptions of their kupuna and to not follow in their misguided ways. We wish to print the old mele and new mele, as long as they are good, and we ask of those who have mele and the composers of mele to send them to us and we will print them. Write the letters very clearly, and insert punctuation where they should be so that the printers understand.

We are printing below an old mele previously printed in Nu Hou in 1854, composed by Kaleiopaoa and submitted to the Nu Hou by S. M. Kamakau. In the mele there are foreign place names.

HE MELE I KILAUEA.

Hulihia ka mauna wela i ke ahi,
Nopu wela ka uka o Kuianalei,
I ke a pohaku puulele e lele mai iuka,
O ke kakoi ka hookele mai ka lua,
O ka maiau pololei kani lealea,
O ka hinihini kani kuamauna,
O ka mapu leo nui kani kohakoha,
O Kanakaloa o ka mauna,
O Kupulupulu i ka nahale,
O na’kua mai ka waokele,
O Kulipeenuiaiahua, o Kikealawaopiikea,
O ka uwahi pohina iuka,
O ka uwahi mapukea i kai,
O ke awa nui i ka mauna,
O ke pookea i ka nahele,
O ka uwahi noe lehua—e,
O ka aina a Pele ma iuka,
Ua ku ke oka, aia i kai—e,
Pau ae la ka maha laau,
Ka maha ohia loloa o Kaliu,
Ka uka i pohaku e kapu, e kapu,
Kapu mai la Puna, ua kulepe ke ahi,
Ua haiki Puna i Kilauea,
Ua ha ka lama i ka luna i Mokuaweoweo,
Ua ha uka i Keahialaka,
Aina ae la o Moeawakea,
Ke a i kai o Kukalaula,
A luna au o Pohakuloa,
Holo nae ku au nana ilaila, e maliu mai—e,
O ku ike wale aku ia Puna,
I ka papa lohi o Apua,
He la liliu e nopu wela ka wawae,
A pau na niu o Kula i Kapoho,
Holo ka uwahi maha oo Kuauli,
Pau o Maolala i ke ahi,
I hia no aa i ka papa,
Pulupulu i ka lau laau,
Punia ka lani, haule ka ua loku,
Kaa mai ka pouli, wili ka puahiohio,
Ke owe la i ka lani, eia Pele mai ka mauna,
Mai ka lua i Kilauea,
Mai Papalauahi, mai Ooluea,
Hiki malama mahina ka uka o Kaliu,
Enaena Puna i ka aina, e ke Akua,
Nihoa ka pali ka lua iuka,
Koea mania kikaha koae,
Lele pauma ka hulu maewaewa,
Kikaha pouli na’kua o ka uka,
Liolioiwawau na’kua o ka lua,
Ae ae Pele, noho i ke Ahiku,
Kani ke ilalo o ka lua,
Kahuli Kilauea me he ama la,
Kunia puna, moa wela ke one,
Wela Puna, e wela i ke ahi—e,
Kina Puna wela i ke ahi—e.

(Hae Hawaii, 3/21/1860, p. 204)

Ka Hae Hawaii, Buke 4, Ano Hou.—Helu 51, Aoao 204. Maraki 21, 1860.