THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII HAVE ALOHA FOR THEIR ALII.

From ancient times, from all the way into the realm of po, from early on, from the very beginning, born was the aloha of Hawaiian Men, Hawaiian Women, and the Offspring of their loins, for their Alii, all the way until this very day; it would seem that it is greater than anything else pertaining to their sovereign, and it would seem there is no greater proof than the words pronounced by our King Kauliluaikeanuwaialeale [Kalakaua], when he went on that famous trip around the world in the year 1881, and upon his treading once more upon his birth sands; this is what he stated:

KE KAENA A KA MOI KALAKAUA.

Ua kaahele au maluna o ka ilihonua me ka moana,
A Inia mamao, a me Kina kaulana,
Hoea i na aekai o Aferika, a na palena o Europa,
A halawai me ka ikaika o na aina a pau,
A ia’u i ku ai ma ka aoao o na Poo Aupuni,
Ka poe mana maluna o ka lakou ma ka hiehie Alii,
Hoomaopopo iho la i ka uku-iki, a nawaliwali o Ko’u,
Me Ko’u Nohoalii i hookahuaia maluna o kahi puu Pele,
A ma kahi o na miliona i hooko i ka keia mau Moi,
He mau tausani wale iho no malalo o Ko’u malu,
Aka, ka upu nei loko, Na’u ke Kaena hiki,
Aia he mau nani maloko o na poai o Ko’u mau aekai—
I oi aku ka makamae i ka O’u mau hoa Moi,
Aohe O’u kumu hopo maloko o Ko’u Aupuni,
He hiki ke hui me Ko’u lahui me ka weli ole,
Aohe maka’u No’u iho, me ke kiai pili-paa ole ia,
A Na’u ke Kaena, he momi i hoounaia mailuna mai Na’u—
Eia ia’u ke aloha oiaio o Ko’u Lahui.

[The first time I heard these powerful words was from a Palani Vaughan record (and looking back, I think he is one of the many reasons why this blog exists today). I heard it and thought man, that is definitely not a boast that could seriously be claimed by any other of his fellow leaders of his time (so much less by those of today). And when I first saw Kalakaua’s words restated in this article after the overthrow, it made the statement even more profound. This, by the way, was so important that they reprinted it again on 1/21/1893!

For the English version from an article right after Kalakaua’s return, click here! Learn the stories!! Pass them forward!!!]

(Hawaii Holomua, 1/18/1893, p. 3)

Hawaii Holomua, Buke III, Helu 141, Aoao 3. Ianuari 18, 1893.