John L. Nailiili on the importance of mele, 1848.

A written call.

Listen to this, O People of old from alii ancestors living now here in the Hawaiian Islands.

I am the one whose name is below, I humbly ask of you makaainana who compose mele to give forth old mele of the alii as well as new mele composed for them on paper, and write the story of the mele’s composition. Continue reading