Set of mele composed in honor of King Kalakaua, 1881.

HE KAPA NO KALAKAUA.

O mai o Kalakaua nona ke Alii ke kapa hulu manu,
I hana ia mai e Halulu ka Manu Alii mai Kahiki,
Hiki i Hawaii nei i haku kapa hulu manu nou e Kalani Kalakaua,
Ke keiki makahiapo a Kapaakea ko makuakane,
A Keohokalole ko makuahine ke ola—la,
E kii ke kapa o ka hulu o ka Aeto,
A i kapa aahu no Kalani,
A e kii ko kapa o ka hulu o ka Iwa,
A i kapa aahu no Kalani,
A e kii ko kapa a ka hulu o ka Oo,
A i kapa aahu no Kalani,
A e kii ko kapa o ka hulu o ka Mamo,
A i kapa aahu no Kalani,
A e kii ko kapa o ka hlu o ka Iiwi,
A i kapa aahu no Kalani,
A e kii ko kapa o ka hulu o ka Pikake,
A i kapa aahu no Kalani,
A haina ke Alii nona ke kapa,
O Kalakaua kuu Lani.
Mrs. Kaleihiwahiwa.

HE OHU NO KALAKAUA.

Aia i ka Lani ko ohu e kohu ai,
Ua hana mua ia e ka Makua mana loa,
E kii ko lei ohu e Kalani,
O ke anuenue pio i ka lewa,
E kii ko lei ohu e Kalani,
O ka Waipuilani pio i ke kai,
Kinikohu oe e Kalani,
Ko ohu anuenue,
Kau mai oe i ka nuu,
Noho pono i ke Kalaunu,
He uwila kela—ua hiki mai nei,
He anapu keia maluna o Likelike,
He uila kela o ka papahi ohu,
He anapu keia Lehua o Hilo one,
He uwila kela—i ohu kahiko,
He anapu keia—no Kalakaua,
He uwila kela e o mai oe,
He anapu keia—e Kalakaua,
He uwila kela ko ohu kahiko,
He uwila kela,
Kohu i ke Kalaunu—He anapu keia,
He ohu no Kalakaua,
Mrs. Kaleihiwahiwa.

HE HANAU NO KALAKAUA.

Aia Iolani Kauikalani,
O ke Kini nui o Hawaii nei,
A o oe ka pua i oi loa ae,
Maluna o ke ao malamalama,
He uwila ka hoa e kaulike ai,
Ma na iliwai a o ka honua,
Hiki aku ka lohe la i ka hikina,
I ka la hanau o Kawaihau,
O ke aiwaiwa la o na lani,
A i hanau ia me ka opua,
Haina ke Alii i hanau ia,
O ka Wohikukahi la e—o mai.
Aia i Kauai o Kawaihau,
O ka Hui Mahi-ko o Kealia,
Alia oe la e Kapiolani,
E pulale e aku i ka hole ko,
Aia ike pono oe i ka nua,
Lawe ae oe a kau i ka nio,
Mai puni aku oe i ka puhikole,
I ka ili puakea oloko o Mareka,
A he mea hoopau poe-a-poe,
No ka mea Aupuni o Hawaii nei,
Ua ike maka iho no hoi oe,
A o oe ka heke i oi loa ae,
Haina ke Alii i hanau ia,
O ka Wohikukapu la e o mai.
Mrs. Kaleihiwahiwa.

HE INOA NO KALAKAUA.

Auhea wale oe e ka liko,
E ke koolua a o ka lehua,
Homai ke aloha ia nei;
A i honi kuwili ia aku,
Ke hoomau ae nei hoi,
I ke onaona la oia pua,
A’u i kui ai a lawa,
I lei no’u no ka Hikina,
No ka la hiki ma Kumukahi,
Kahiko ae la i Haehae,
O ka wela ka i kua o ka la,
Hulili i ka Pahoehoe,
Nonono ka pua o ka lehua,
Luhiehu i ke kula o Malama,
I ka hoope ia e ka ua,
Uluau kii wai o ka uka,
No uka ka wahine kia manu,
Aohe kepau pili ole,
O ke ani a Laukapalili,
Koe manu ole i ka wekiu,
E o e ka Wohikukahi,
O Kawaihau no he inoa.
Auhea oe Keonaona,
E ka hoapili o kuu kino,
A o oe a owau kai ike,
I ka hana hoi a ka makemake,
Kaua pu no ilaila,
I ka nahele lualai ke aloha,
Hiaai ka manao e ike,
I ka uka paoa i ke ala,
He ala o ka wai Iliahi,
Hoapili o Mailekaulahea,
Hea mai ke ahi a ka wahine,
O ke ala ia o ka malihini,
A e hiki ai i Kaauea,
I ka hale Kamala a ka noe,
Uhi wai anu o ka mauna,
I mehana i ke kono a loko,
Mea ole ke awa o ka uka,
Ka hanuna a ka ihu o ka lio,
I ke one aku o Kahualoa,
Loa wale ka noho’na o Kalani.
I Hiwahiwa no ke ao nei,
A i pua nani no Hawaii,
E o e ka Wohikukahi,
O Kawaihau he inoa.
Kaua i ka nani o Hilo,
I ka ua loku o Hanakahi,
Akahi no ko’u manene,
Ka me-eu hoi o ko’u oho,
He ula leo o Pahanakaiwi,
Ikuwa mai la i Haili,
Ilihia i ka leo o ka Mamo,
E wa mai la i Olaa,
Ua laa ia pua ia nei,
Eia i ko’u kiaha,
Ua hoolawa ia e Lia,
Me na lehua i Panaewa,
Kuhi no paha oe e Malio,
Hookahi halau i ao ai,
E like ai na mea hana,
O na mea hoonui ike,
He makau hala ole keia,
Ua lou ia e ka ia nui,
Ua moni ia ka’u maunu,
E Moananuikalehua,
Ua paa i ka lino pa-walu,
I malia i ke aho makalii,
Kuhi oe i ka Hilu-noenoe,
A he ia ia no ke kohola,
O ka lale au o Kaiona,
I noho i ka malu ohai,
Aohe hana a Malamanui,
Ua kau ke keha i Kaala,
O ka iki nioi pepa ia,
Holo ka wela i na aa koni,
Ka Upena nae mai keia,
Aohe ia koe ke hei mai,
He hului au no ia kai,
No ka moana kai hohonu,
E o e ka Wohikukapu,
O Kawaihau no he inoa,
Mrs. Kaleihiwahiwa
Ka-ua Paakea o Hale-kela.

(Elele Poakolu, 4/20/1881, p. 2)

HE KAPA NO KALAKAUA...

Ka Elele Poakolu, Buke II, Helu 7, Aoao 2. Aperila 20, 1881.

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“Kaua i ka Nani o Hilo”. 1892.

A MELE FOR HULA.

Kaua i ka nani o Hilo
Ka ua loloku i Hanakahi
A kahi hoi ko’u manene,
Ka meeu hoi o kou hoa.
He ula leo paha na ka iwi,
I kuwa mai la i Haili,
Ilihia i ka leo o ka mamo,
E pua mai la i Olaa.
Ua laa ia pua ia nei,
U nani i ko’u manao,
E ake aku ana e ike.
I na pua lehua i panaewa,
E kiko ia ala e ka manu
E ka oo, hulu melemele.
Nee iho e kaua lani pili,
Hao mai ka makani a he kiu.

Composed by Kolana.

[Here is another version of “Kaua i ka Nani o Hilo”, and here it is attributed to Kolana.]

(Leo o ka Lahui, 7/18/1892)

HE MELE HULA.

Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 501, Aoao 2. Iulai 18, 1892.

“Kaua i ka Nani o Hilo” and finding things where you might not expect. 1895.

“Kaua i ka Nani o Hilo”

[This mele for Kalakaua is taken from an article entitled “OWAI LA O J. L. KUKAHI, KA IHEPA NUI O KA WAA PAE E PEE NEI?”, which is a scathing criticism by D. M. Punini, Jr. over an ongoing argument concerning the naming of Hawaiian traditional months. But here, I wanted to show once again, that you never know what you will find and where.

The version of “Kaua i ka Nani o Hilo” most widely known today is probably the one from the Roberts Collection at the Bishop Museum, which is quoted here. The Museum’s Mele Index can be searched online here. But notice that the Punini version has additional verses (highlighted in red).

Also note that “Kawaihau” is one of the names for Kalakaua.]

Kaua i ka nani o Hilo

I ka ua loloku i Hanakahi

Akahi hoi ko’u manene

ka meeu hoi a ko’u oho

He ula leo paha na ka Iwi

Iku-a mai la i Haili

Ilihia i ka leo o ka Mamo

E-wa mai la i Olaa

Ua laa ia pua ianei

Eia i ko’u kiaha

Ua hoolawa ia me Lia

Me na lehua i Panaewa

Kuhi no paha oe Malia

Hookahi halau i ao ai

E like ai na mea hana

O na buke hoonui ike

He makau hala ole keia

Ua lou ia e ka i’a nui

Ua ale ia ka’u maunu

E Moano nui ka Lehua

Ua paa i ka lino pawalu

I mali’a i ke aho makalii

Kuhi oe i ka Hilu noenoe

A he i’a ia no ke kohola

O Kalale au o Kaiona

Nonoho i ka malu ohai

Aohe hana a Malamanui

Ua kau ke keha i Kaala

O ka iki nioi pepa ia

Holo ka wela i na aa koni

Ka upena nae mai keia

Aohe i’a koe hei mai

He hului au no ke kai loa

No ka moana kai hohonu

E—o e ka wohi kukahi

O Kawaihau no he inoa.

(Leo o ka Lahui, 4/2/1895, p. 3)

OWAI LA O J. L. KUKAHI, KA IHEPA NUI O KA WAA PAE E PEE NEI?

Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 1078, Aoao 3. Aperila 2, 1895.