| He Mele Lä Hänau No Kapunahala
- Words and Music by Ka`ohu Talmadge-Cazinha |
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Oli: |
Chant: You have touched many lives those who know you will say And you'll touch many more with each passing day Your beauty will follow with gifts left behind: Respect, responsibility, resourcefulness, Relationships we find Song: In this place, so lovely and cool In this place where the stream runs through The beauty, the love, Our hearts are for you O Kapunahala, a foundation so true. The rainbow so colorful and bright With beauty untold in the midday sunlight There sits at the end, like a bright pot of gold This priceless beauty that is 40 years old. From mauka to makai, your fame is known Your hala springs forth as your story unfolds (is told) Once known as `Anolani in days of old You still stand noble, pure and bold. At the base of the majestic Ko`olau ever so green You sit in gentle calmness, so full of strength yet serene Love flows like the stream Through our hearts blessed by you A heartfelt mahalo and our love to you too. Oh, Kapunahala, affection for you shall live on forever! |
Source: Ka`ohu Talmadge-Cazinha - May Day 2003 was also the 40th birthday celebration of Kapunahala Elementary School. Ka`ohu needed a song that would relate to and compliment both celebrations. She researched but could not find a satisfactory song. Feeling overwhelmed after three days of rehearsals, she canceled practice and decided to take a nap with her three-year-old son. Suddenly awakened after a short nap, words started coming into her head. She grabbed a pencil and the closest piece of paper and began frantically scribbling lyrics almost as fast as they were coming to her. Finally, she was able to sit back and read what she had writtten. She began matching sentences, making verses, and realized that the English was almost perfectly rhymed. While the English words sounded beautiful, Ka`ohu realized this mele must be written in Hawaiian. Translating into `olelo Hawai`i proved to be a struggle. She transcribed the first two verses, sent the rest to Puakea Nogelmeir and asked for his kokua. Ka`ohu developed the melody and this song was completed April, 2003. She choreographed the hula performed by the May Day Royal Court and Sam Kapu III performed the mele without the benefit of sheet music. Keola Ka`uhane taught the 6th grade the oli as it was to be performed. Premier performance May Day, 2003. Oli, stanza 4 & 5, The "respect, responsibility, resourcefulness and relationships" refer to the four virtues that Kapunahala Elementary School imparts to its students. Mele verse 3, stanza 3, `Anolani is the original name of Kapunahala Stream. Hawaiian Language Consultant, Puakea Nogelmeier |
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