`Auhea wale `oe e ke `ala tuberose
He moani `a`ala i ke ano ahiahi
Ua like me ka lau vabine
I ka hoene i ka poli pili pa`a
Hui:
`Ike hou ana i ka nani a`o Hilo
I ka uluwehiwehi o ka lehua
Lei ho`ohihi
Hi`i a ka malihini
Mea `ole i ke kono a ke aloha
E aloha a`e ana i ka makani Pu`ulena
Ka makani kaulana o ka `âina
Home noho a na `i`iwi polena
Mea `ole i ke kono a ke aloha
Nani wale no Hilo
I ka ua Kanilehua
Mehe mea ala e `i mai ana
Eia iho a hiki mai
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- Heed the fragrance of the tuberose
Fragrance wafted at at evening time
Like verbena leaves
Singing in the heart, tightly clasped
Chorus:
- Behold again the beauty of
Hilo
- And the beautiful grove of
lehua
- Cherished lei
- Worn by visitors
- Nothing deters the invitation
of love
Greeting the Pu`ulena
wind
- Famous wind of the land
- Home of scarlet
honey-creepers
- Not indifferent to the call of
love
- Hilo is so beautiful
- With the rustling of lehua in
the rain
- As though saying
- Wait until the princess
comes
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Source: Nâ Mele o Hawai`i Nei - Ae`a, a member of the Royal
Hawaiian Band composed this song in the summer of 1881, on
the eve of the band's departure to Hilo. They accompanied
Princess Lydia Lili`uokalani Kamakaeha Kaalaniali`i
Neweweli`i on a 10-day tour of the Big Island. The original
title was Ke `Ala Tuberose and was set to a slower tempo.
Berger arranged it as a march for the band and first played
it in Hilo. It has been adopted as the island song of
Hawai`i, the big island.
Pu`ulena is the cold wind at Kîlauea. Translated by Sam Elbert & Noelani Mahoe
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