Words by KING KALAKAUA. Composed by H. BERGER.
Soprano. Alto. Tenor. Bass. Piano.
Helu 1. Hawaii ponoi Nana i kou Moi
Helu 2. Hawaii ponoi Nana i na’lii
Helu 3. Hawaii ponoi E ka lahui e Continue reading
When you hear the Strains of the National Anthem “Hawaii Ponoi,” men, remove your hats. It is a sign of your aloha for your land of birth, your Lahui, and your Monarch.
Teach our children to do the same.
Hawaii Ponoi.
(Leo o ka Lahui, 11/10/1893, p. 2)
Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 810, Aoao 2. Novemaba 10, 1883.
Picturesque Cavalcade Revives Old-Time Custom.
The Hui Holopa-u Maile Alii have every reason to be satisfied with their first parade as a society, which occurred yesterday in celebration of Kamehameha Day.
The custom of pa-u riding is an old and kingly one and it was eminently fitting that the initial gathering of the club should take place on the anniversary of the birth of Hawaii’s greatest king.
About 30 riders gathered at the residence of Mrs. Kainana Puahi at Waikiki early yesterday morning. The costumes, which were uniform, consisted of yellow skirts, white waists, and straw hats encircled with ilima leis. Each rider wore a black ribbon as a sash, bearing the word “Kaonohiokala,” done in gold. The word means “the eye of the sun.” Continue reading
Aloha aina is a wonderful gift held by people. The German loves his land of birth, and for it is the national anthem sung—”Die Wacht am Rhein” [“Ke Kiai ma ka muliwai Rhine!”]* And so too with the Briton, whose love is steadfast for his birth land, and this is one of their songs—”Rule, Britannia! rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves.” [“O Beritania ka mana maluna o na aekai, aole loa oia e kauwa kuapaa.” And it is the same with the American; he loves his native land, and for it is sung in this manner—”The land of the triumphant and the home of the brave.” [“Ka aina o ka lanakila a me ka home o ka wiwo ole.”] Who would fault their patriotism? This like the aloha that the Hawaiian has for his land of birth, and for it is sung like this—
“Hawaii Ponoi
Nana i kou Moi
Ka Lani Alii nei,
Ke Alii.”
*Look at this awesome translation by King Kalakaua of Die Wacht am Rhein!
(Hawaii Holomua, 2/11/1893, p. 1)
Hawaii Holomua, Buke III, Helu 7, Aoao 1. Feberuari 11, 1893.
Mr. Editor of the Kuokoa Newspaper, Aloha oe:—Maybe at 3 o’clock or so in the morning of Friday, June 11, 1920, that being the birthday of the Nation Conqueror Kamehameha, there came to my home some singing boys, and this was something; it was a familiar thing where on holidays this and that person came around singing at houses lived in by Hawaiians.
Before the singers came, I got the idea that since these singers were coming to my home, I would get up and listen to the singing outside on the lanai like I was accustomed to in past years; it was not long before I heard strains of a guitar, and the singing started, but it was from my bedroom that I was listening. Continue reading
Here is a Version Which is Not a Royalist One.
Hawaii Ponoi is a good old song, but it contains too much feudal sentiment to suit these progressive days. Here is a version which strikes out the too effusive references to the Alii, etc. Can any one improve on it? Competition is invited:
KA MELE LAHUI.
(The National Anthem).
Hawaii ponoi,
Nana i kou lahui;
A me ke aupuni,
Ke aupuni.
Ka aina nani e,
Na moku lani nei;
Na kaua e pale,
Me ka ihe.
(Repeat the last four lines).
(Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 1/8/1894, p. 4)
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Volume XIX, Number 3580, Page 4. January 8, 1894.
Aloha—In this issue, I am concluding my translation of the mele from the “Mocking Bird.” Many very fine songs have been translated. The Publisher [Luna Hoopuka], Hon. J. U. Kawainui, has been kind to print these mele.
The Song Teachers should keep these mele. They should cut them out and assemble them in once place. Sing them widely in the Public Schools, at the School Presentations, so that the work spent composing, writing, and printing these mele will not go to waste. With appreciation,
Hawaii Ponoi.
Waimea, Hawaii, May 25, 1880.
[It is good to know that Lorenzo Lyons went by the pen name “Hawaii Ponoi” as well as “Hawaii”.]
(Ko Hawaii Pae Aina, 6/5/1880, p. 4)
Ko Hawaii Pae Aina, Buke III, Helu 23, Aoao 4. Iune 5, 1880.
[Leo Mele,—”Hawaii Ponoi.”]
1—Hawaii Ponoi
Nana i kou Moi
Liliuokalani e
Ke alii
Hui—Moiwahine e
Loloku lani e
No Hawaii nei
E ola e
2—E ka Lahui e
E mililani pu
I ka makua mau
No kou Moi
3—E na haipule e
Iluna i ke ao
No kou Moi
Ke alii
4—E na Mana Lani
E maliu mai
I ka makou pule
No ko’u Moi.
[Tune,—”Hawaii Ponoi.”]
1—Hawaii’s Own
Look to your Sovereign
Liliuokalani
The alii
Chorus—Queen
Lolokulani
For Hawaii nei
Prevail
2—O Nation
Let us give praise
To the eternal father
For your Sovereign
3—O Pious ones
[Lift your voices] toward the clouds
For your Sovereign
The Alii
4—O Heavenly Powers
Do pay heed
To our prayer
For my Sovereign.
[The issue in which this mele appears cannot be found online. There in fact are many, many issues of Hawaii Holomua that are still not available anywhere online!]
(Hawaii Holomua Puka Pule, 6/23/1894, p. 3)
Hawaii Holomua (Puka Pule). Buke I, Helu 25, Aoao 3. Iune 23, 1894.
1
Hawaii Ponoi,
Nana i kou Moi
Ka Lani Alii
Ke Alii
Makua Lani e
Kamehameha e
Na kaua e pale e
Me ka ihe.
2.
Hawaii Ponoi
Nana i na Alii
Na Pua a kou muli
Na pokii
Makua Lani e
Kamehameha e
Na kaua e pale e
Me ka ihe.
3.
Hawaii Ponoi
E ka Lahui
O kau hana nui
E ui e
Makua Lani e
Kamehameha e
Na kaua e pale e
Me ka ihe.
[It is interesting to note that i could not find any article in any paper protesting the attribution of this song. In the same issue is the National Anthem by Princess Liliuokalani.]
(Koo o Hawaii, 8/15/1883, p. 2)
Ke Koo o Hawaii, Buke 1, Helu 1, Aoao 2. Augate 15, 1883.
Leading Hawaiians Decorating the Statue of Kamehameha yesterday.
(From Wednesday’s Advertiser.)
Cloaked in leis from helmet to feet the stalwart and majestic Kamehameha looked out over city and mountains in the light of a perfect day, thousands of holiday makers shut up shop and went out to play yesterday in honor of the first king of Hawaii Nei and scores of horsemen passed before the statue keeping the old Kamehameha Day custom.
Aside from the pleasant weather, which is a traditional accompaniment of the day, the decorating of the statue and the Hawaiian races and luau at Kalihi there was not much to remind the public of Kamehameha, and it would seem that the public determined to turn the occasion into a playful Sunday. There were no pa-u riders, although a number of horsemen on all grades and classes of steeds rode about town in groups. Many of them were cowboys in full regalia.
There were a few Hawaiian flags in evidence, one or two consular flags and hundreds of bare flag-poles. Evidently the brilliant sun was relied upon to bring out the natural colors of Honolulu’s setting so the bunting was deemed unnecessary.
An enormous crowd turned out to see the marathon runners come in from Haleiwa, another enormous crowd made a pilgrimage to aquatic and other sports at the Kalihi races and luau, and it seemed that half of Honolulu crowded about the Athletic Field at Punahou and tried to climb the fence while all the youngsters in town were inside drinking pop and playing games at the Central Union Church’s picnic.
Beaches Crowded.
The beaches were crowded all day and the sunburn “took fine” on a thousand or more lily complexions. At nine o’clock yesterday morning the crowds began to gather along King street and by noon the police were busy keeping people off the car tracks and pulling the absent minded from in front of tooting automobiles between Kalihi and Waikiki. The bicycle and foot races stirred up as much enthusiasm and drew as big a holiday crowd as a pa-u parade in the old days when Kamehameha was honored in true Hawaiian style. The old Portuguese statue worshiper who performs his unique rites before the judiciary building daily was not in evidence yesterday. He probably got a glimpse of his old friend the king in his giddy, gaudy holiday rags at long range and thought him lacking in the dignity which should hedge a real worshipful deity.
Draping the Monarch.
The work of clothing the deep chested monarch in flowers was done yesterday morning by the Order of Kamehameha. Fifty members of the lodge marched from the Odd Fellows building to the statue about eight-thirty o’clock carrying their flowers and leis and after the decorating formed in a circle in front of the statue where they were addressed by Kaukau Alii Chung Hoon, Sr. The ceremony closed with the singing of Hawaii Ponoi. There was a large general attendance of spectators at this function.
When the mounted police squad came back from the Punahou picnic they were as weary as a force of fond mothers after getting the youngsters washed and dressed for Sunday school. For about five hours they had hopped from one corner of the athletic field to the other persuading the irrepressible small boys on the outside that they were not invited and that entrance was to be had at the gate and by ticket. The Central Union Bible class was entertaining the Kakaako and Palama mission schools and the latter were certainly entertained.
At the close of the races the big down-town crowds dispersed, the few stores that were open in the forenoon closed, Absalom stretched out in the middle of the sidewalk at Fort and King and had a snooze and a Sabbath-like calm brooded over the city of palms and poi, as the poet might say.
[Found on Chronicling America!]
(Hawaiian Gazette, 6/14/1912, p. 2)
The Hawaiian Gazette, Volume LV, Number 39, Page 2. June 14, 1912.
nupepa 