A Chant for Punahoa - “He Mele No Punahoa”

Maua and Acacia trees, native to Hawaiian forests, thriving in Punahoa Heritage Forest in Punahoa, HI- a conservation effort made possible by the Pūʻā Foundation, a Hawaiian nonprofit

During a mele workshop led by Kekuhi Kealiʻikanakaole, a group of dedicated practitioners drew inspiration from Aunty Edith Kanakaʻ ole and honored her legacy of chant by developing this chant for the Punahoa Heritage Forest, a mele wahi pana.

It speaks to many things: the place - Punahoa, Kaumana and Ponahawaii - the forest; the rain of Punahoa is Lanipolua, it speaks of the dew drenched ohia, it speaks of the special plants/trees - the ʻieʻie, the olapa, the ala ala wai nui; it speaks of the birds - the alala, the amakihi, the apapane, the elepaio, the io, it speaks of the spring and water - the punawai - the life of the water - to bring life - A OLA!

HE MELE NO PUNAHOA

Nā pana kēia o Punahoa

Nā hoa o ka ulu lāʻau

Ka nāhele i uka o Kaʻūmana

ʻO aʻu pua pili i ka ua Lanipōlua

Kilipohe ka lehua i ka wao

 

Ulu ka ʻōhiʻa a pōnaha ka wai

ka ʻieʻie, ka ʻōlapa, ka ʻalaʻala wai nui

 

Kani ka ʻalalā, ka ʻamakihi, ka ʻapapane

Pane ka ʻōmaʻo, ka ʻelepaio

ʻIō ka ʻio kaha keha i ka mālie

 

Maliu mai i ka nono a ka wai

Ka wai pipiʻi a Kāne

Ka wai puapuaʻi a Kāne

Ka wai ʻolāʻolā a Kāne

 

A ola!

SupportersToni Bissen