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January 21, 2007

Hali`alaulani


Hanohano e ka uka i Pihanakalani
I ka leo o ka `ohe Kanikawi

Nana ho`oipoipo ke aloha
A loa`a `o Ka`ililauokekoa

Ke kuini i ka home o na manu
Ke `ala anuhea pua mokihana

E pa`ihi i ka wai o (kona piliahi no) Kawaikini
E uwila i ka luna Wai`ale`ale

Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana
`O Hali`alaulani kou inoa

He Inoa No Hali`alaulani


Hanohano Pihanakalani
Glorious Pihanakalani (where heaven touches earth), by Kalala

Glorious is the upland of Pihanakalani
And the voice of the flute Kanikawi

It wooed with love
And won Princess Ka`ililauokekoa

She is the queen of the home of the birds
Amid the cool fragrance of the mokihana

The water of Kawaikini sparkles and sends
Lightning messages to the heights of Wai`ale`ale

Tell the refrain
Hali`alaulani is your name

The Name of Hali`alaulani


"In praise of the island of Kaua`i, this chant relates the romance in the uplands amid the mountain shells, the birds and the mokihana trees (pelea anisata) found only on this island. Pihanakalani is the mountainous region above Wailua River near the Wailua Falls. It was the home of the ruling class of the island of Kaua`i. Wi is the mountain shell, a native fresh and brackish water snail (neritina granosa). Ka`ililauokekoa was the grandaughter of Chief Mo`ikeha and Ho`oipokamalani. Her mother was the daughter of La`amaikahiki and the wife of Kauakahiali`i, high chief of Kauai.

Hali`alaulani was the goddess of Pihanakalani."


from Na Mele Hula by Nona Beamer

(image from Google Maps)

Posted by Neal at January 21, 2007 8:16 PM | Category: Mother Earth

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