He Aloha Nô `O Honolulu (Goodbye to Honolulu) - by Lot Kauwe

 

He aloha noô `o Honolulu
I ka ua kûkalahale
Ka nuku a`o Mâmala
`Au a`e nei mahope
Kau mai ana mamua
Ka malu `ulu a`o Lele
Kukui `a`a mau
Pio `ole i Kaua`ula
 
 
 
`Au aku i ke kai loa
Oni mai ana `o `Upolu
Ho`okomo iâ Mahukona
Ka makani `Âpa`apa`a
E wiki `oe apa nei
Eia a`e `o Kawaihae
Ho`ohaehae Nâulu
I ka makani Ku`ehu `ale
 
 
 
Ka hao a ka Mûmuku
Poho pono nâ pe`a heke
`O ka heke a`o nâ Kona
I ke kai mâ`oki`oki
Hala `ole no ka ua
I ke kole maka onaona
E haupe `oe a kena
I ka piko `oe lihaliha
 
 
 
Ha`alele ka Maunaloa
I ka po la`i a`o Kona
Ho`okomo iâ Ho`okena
I ka pela a`o ka manini
Ha`ina mai ka puana
`O ka heke nô nâ Kona
No Kona ke kai malino
Kaulana i ka lehulehu
Goodby Honolulu
The rain tells the house
Mamala, the entrance of Honolulu Harbor
Lies behind
Ahead
The shady groves of Lele
Lighthouse is always burning
And not extinguished by the red rain
 
 
 
Sailing out to the open sea
'Upolu point appears
Take shelter at Mahukona
From the dry wind
Hurry, so we may tarry
Here at Kawaihae
From the sudden showers and
The wind that stirs the waves
 
 
 
The Mumuku wind gusts
Filling the top sails
The best is Kona
Of the streaked sea
The rain does not pass
The sweet-eyed kole
Eat heartily and quench (the thirst)
Especially the belly, so fat and choice
 
 
 
Leave the Maunaloa
In the calm night of Kona
Enter Ho`okena
The flesh of the manini
Tell the refrain
The best is Kona
Kona of the calm sea
Famous among mulititudes

 

Source: Lot Kauwe was an accomplished singer, dancer, musician, composer and entertainer whose talents went beyond the stage. He was known to set his indiscretions to music, veiled in kaona. This is one of his best known compositions and tells of his return home from Honolulu to Kona, aboard the inter-island steamer, Maunaloa. Verse 1, the house, in many instances, is symbolic of a long term lover. Kaua`ula waterfall in stanza #8, is near Lele, short for Lahaina. `Apa`apa`a, Kuehu`ale in verse #2 and Mumuki in verse #3 are names of Kona winds. The kole and manini fish in verses 3 and 4 are terms of endearment. Place names, such as Ho`okena, are used as a play on words in many love songs. He Mele Aloha includes additional verse