Ka Huakai - Chant

 

Ia aloha ia Kilauea
Lio kakele a o ka moana
Holo mamua holo mahope

Kau pono ka ihu i ka makani
Haki nu'a ka uwahi i ke kai
Nome a`e ka huila malalo
Hala e ka lae o Kala`au

`Oni ana Moloka`i mamua
Huli a`e e eke alo i Lahaina
He ukana ka Kilauea
Lu a`e la i Pala`au
Ho`okahi pahuna malalo

Kohu `auna manu i ke one
Ka hoholo i ke alialia
E`ole o
Kalani Mehameha
Ola ai nei pu`a hipa
Na hipa a
Kama`ipu`upa`a

`Ai ana i ka
Lau `oliwa
`Ia mai ka puana

No Kalani Mehameha he inoa

 


Lot Kapuaiwa
Kamehameha V

Beloved ship, Kilauea
Sea-roving steed that roams this ocean
Hauling back and forth, then the voyage home

Now Kilauea's prow heads into the wind
Smoke breaks from stack, ripples over the sea,
Paddle-wheel slowly revolves and
Passes Kala`au Point

Moloka`i up ahead
Lahaina yonder, awaiting freight
The Kilauea unloads cargo
At Pala`au
Heave-ho and shove down below

Like a flock of seabirds upon a waste of sand
A hungry horde races along this shore
Were it not for
Chief Kamehameha
The sheep would have no supplies or life
The shepherd, wise in matters of life
Kama`ipu`upa`a, the life-bringing kahuna

Now let his famished flock feed on
Olive leaves given with a King's love
This is the end of my song
In praise of Chief Kamehameha

 

Source: The Echo of Our Song, Lot Kapuaiwa, (Kamehameha V, 1830-1872) was the last of the kings directly descended from Kamehameha I and ruled from 1863-72. He maintained a royal ranch in Halawa Valley on the island of Moloka`i. The ranch exhausted their supplies and the king sent the workers the necessities of life including native medicine and food. This chant commorates this errand of mercy. The Kilauea was an interisland steamer that sailed during the 1860s thru the 1870s. Kama`ipu`upa`a was a female kahuna, expert in Hawaiian medicine and prophecy and a member of the King's household. She was reputed to be his mistress. Olive leaves are the Christian symbol of peace.

Kilauea