Are you excited about this year’s candidates? 2020.

…Enough to compose a mele for them?

Check out this mele composed by Sam Liʻa for Prince Kuhio!

Political mele by Samuel Lia Kalainaina for Prince Kuhio, 1916.

HE HOOHENO LEI NO KALANIANAOLE.

1

E ho mai i na pua nani o ka wao,
Wehi lei no Kalanianaole,
Elele i Wakinekona.
E kui mai no a lawa,
Hiiia mai no Kalani.

2

E Hawaii Mano o Kalanipo,
Kui mai i lei no ke Alii,
Elele i Wakinekona.
Ohu lei mokihana,
Kau papahi lei nona.

3

E Niihau e, e o mai oe,
O kau lei no Kalanianaole,
Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei rube,
I pulu-pe i ka hunakai.

4

E Oahu i ke kaona nui,
Ho mai i lei no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei carnation,
I wiliia me ka ilima.

5

E o e Molokai nui a Hina,
O kau lei no Kalanianaole,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei kukui,
Kau ohu ia no Kalani.

6

Eaha ana hoi oe e Lanai,
E wiki, i ohu no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I lei pua hinahina,
I pulupe i ka hunakai.

7

E Maui i ka Honoapiilani,
O kau lei hoi no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei roselani,
Moani aala i ka poli.

8

E Hawaii nui Moku o Keawe,
Kui ae i wehi no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I na lehua o Panaewa,
I wiliia me ka maile.

9

Hainaia mai ana ka puana,
Na wehi lei o Kalanianaole,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
Kii mai no e lei,
I ohu nou e Kalani.

Hakuia e ka HENE WAI O HIILAWE.

By Samuel L. Kalainaina.

[A Lei of Affection for Kalanianaole.

1 Bring forth the beautiful flowers of the forests,
A lei to adorn Kalanianaole,
Representative to Washington.
String them and bind fast,
To be carried for the Heavenly One.

2 O Hawaii of Manokalanipo,
String a lei for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of mokihana lei
Your lei to honor him.

3 O Niihau, answer,
Your lei for Kalanianaole,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of rubies,
Drenched by the sea spray.

4 O Oahu of the great town,
Bring forth a lei for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of carnation lei,
Entwined with ilima.

5 Answer, O Great Molokai of Hina,
Your lei for Kalanianaole,
Representative to Washington.
An decoration of kukui lei,
Your adornment for the Heavenly One.

6 What are you doing, O Lanai,
Be quick, for an adornment for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
A hinahina blossom lei,
Drenched by the sea spray.

7 O Maui with the bays of Piilani,
Your lei for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of roselani lei,
Fragrantly wafting in the bosom.

8 O Great Hawaii, Island of Keawe,
String an adornment for the Alii,
Representative to Washinton.
The lehua of Panaewa,
Entwined with maile.

9 Let the story be told,
Kalanianaole’s lei of adornment,
Representative to Washington.
Come take and wear these lei,
As an adornment for you, O Kalani.

Composed by ka HENE WAI O HIILAWE.

By Samuel L. Kalainaina.

I was reminded of this mele after watching the video documentary “Liʻa” by Eddie Kamae.

I just got my ballot in the mail the other day. I hope you are voting too. There is a lot at stake…]

(Kuokoa, 11/10/1916, p. 3)

HE HOOHENO LEI NO KALANIANAOLE.

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Political mele by Samuel Lia Kalainaina for Prince Kuhio, 1916.

HE HOOHENO LEI NO KALANIANAOLE.

1

E ho mai i na pua nani o ka wao,
Wehi lei no Kalanianaole,
Elele i Wakinekona.
E kui mai no a lawa,
Hiiia mai no Kalani.

2

E Hawaii Mano o Kalanipo,
Kui mai i lei no ke Alii,
Elele i Wakinekona.
Ohu lei mokihana,
Kau papahi lei nona.

3

E Niihau e, e o mai oe,
O kau lei no Kalanianaole,
Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei rube,
I pulu-pe i ka hunakai.

4

E Oahu i ke kaona nui,
Ho mai i lei no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei carnation,
I wiliia me ka ilima.

5

E o e Molokai nui a Hina,
O kau lei no Kalanianaole,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei kukui,
Kau ohu ia no Kalani.

6

Eaha ana hoi oe e Lanai,
E wiki, i ohu no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I lei pua hinahina,
I pulupe i ka hunakai.

7

E Maui i ka Honoapiilani,
O kau lei hoi no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I wehi lei roselani,
Moani aala i ka poli.

8

E Hawaii nui Moku o Keawe,
Kui ae i wehi no ke Alii,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
I na lehua o Panaewa,
I wiliia me ka maile.

9

Hainaia mai ana ka puana,
Na wehi lei o Kalanianaole,
Ka Elele i Wakinekona.
Kii mai no e lei,
I ohu nou e Kalani.

Hakuia e ka HENE WAI O HIILAWE.

By Samuel L. Kalainaina.

[A Lei of Affection for Kalanianaole.

1 Bring forth the beautiful flowers of the forests,
A lei to adorn Kalanianaole,
Representative to Washington.
String them and bind fast,
To be carried for the Heavenly One.

2 O Hawaii of Manokalanipo,
String a lei for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of mokihana lei
Your lei to honor him.

3 O Niihau, answer,
Your lei for Kalanianaole,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of rubies,
Drenched by the sea spray.

4 O Oahu of the great town,
Bring forth a lei for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of carnation lei,
Entwined with ilima.

5 Answer, O Great Molokai of Hina,
Your lei for Kalanianaole,
Representative to Washington.
An decoration of kukui lei,
Your adornment for the Heavenly One.

6 What are you doing, O Lanai,
Be quick, for an adornment for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
A hinahina blossom lei,
Drenched by the sea spray.

7 O Maui with the bays of Piilani,
Your lei for the Alii,
Representative to Washington.
An adornment of roselani lei,
Fragrantly wafting in the bosom.

8 O Great Hawaii, Island of Keawe,
String an adornment for the Alii,
Representative to Washinton.
The lehua of Panaewa,
Entwined with maile.

9 Let the story be told,
Kalanianaole’s lei of adornment,
Representative to Washington.
Come take and wear these lei,
As an adornment for you, O Kalani.

Composed by the HENE WAI O HIILAWE.

By Samuel L. Kalainaina.

I was reminded of this mele after watching the video documentary “Liʻa” by Eddie Kamae.]

(Kuokoa, 11/10/1916, p. 3)

HE HOOHENO LEI NO KALANIANAOLE.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LIV, Helu 45, Aoao 3. Novemaba 10, 1916.