…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)