Beautiful Kahana - Words & music by Mary J. Montano
Mau loa nô ko`u mahalo nui I ka nani pûnono o Kahana Ka moani `a`ala anuhea O nâ pali a`o Ko`olauloa Hui: `O ka home ia o ka wahine Pu`uwai aloha a `Înia He pua ua mili ani `ia E ka Mâlualua ki`i wai `O Kalâhikiola nô ka `oi He pu`ulena ia na ka maka Kohu kîhene pua ka u`i I luluhe i ka `ae o ke kai Hui: He maile kaluhea ia la`i Ha`aheo a ke ao nâulu Ulu a`e ka mana`o he aloha Ia kuini pua `o Kahana	I admire everlastingly The glowing beauty of Kahana The sweet wind borne perfume Of the cliffs of Ko`olauloa Chorus: This is the home of the lady Of the loving heart of India A flower lovingly fondled By the Mâlualua ki`i wai breeze Kalâhikiola is the greatest It holds one's admiration As pretty as a basket of flowers Leaning over at the edge of the sea Chorus: Like the large leaved maile in the calm Proud in the presence of the rain clouds It inspires an expression of love For the flower queen of Kahana
Source: King's Hawaiian Melodies - Written for Mary E. Foster and her beautiful country home, Kalahikiola, on the windward side of O`ahu at Kahana. Verse 1, stanza 2, "the loving heart of India" refers to Mary Foster's Bahai faith and her monetary gifts to build a Bahai temple in India. Many of her charitable acts in Hawai`i were quietly given and unknown, but the lasting gift was her Honolulu home, now part of the famous Foster Botanical Gardens. Foster Gardens is a 20-acre oasis in downtown Honolulu. Mary (part-Hawaiian) and her ship owner husband Thomas purchased the property from Dr. William Hillebrand, a German botanist, in 1880. Mrs. Foster purchased additional acreage and Princess Lili`uokalani added to the gardens by purchasing the adjoining property from the estate of Queen Kalama, wife of Kamehameha III. Before her death, Lili`uokalani, who kept a cottage on the grounds, transferred title to the Civic Federation of Honolulu, to be used as a park. Mrs. Foster also bequeathed her garden to the city of Honolulu in 1930. Both properties were combined and became the Foster Botanical Gardens.Translated by Mary Pukui Copyright 1915, 1942, 1963 by Charles E. King