Käna‘e O Ka Pua -
Words & Music by Anthony K. Conjugacion |
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| Aia i moku o Keawe Ka ‘äina a‘o ka lehua Me ka maile a‘o Pana‘ewa E noho i ka pua mamo Nohona i ka pua ka lehua mamo E‘ike aku i ka nani No ka pua ka ‘ilima Käpili a e kä‘ana Ho‘opili käua häli‘ali‘a Päheahea i ka leo O ka ua Kanilehua Ho‘okipa a ka malihini Mälie i ke kai a‘o Kühiö ‘Auhea wale ana ‘oe I uka i ke kuahiwi he leo Ku‘iku‘i lima A he leo wale nö o Käna‘e Ka lehua mamo i ka nani Puana kö inoa Nö Hilo Hanakahi |
There on the island of Keawe, Land of the ‘öhi‘a lehua With the maile of Pana’ewa, Dwells a rare lehua mamo (yellow) flower Residing here is the lehua mamo, Revealing its beauty By the ‘ilima blossom One bounds in a common love Together you and I shall recall fond memories Of an inviting voice Of the Kanilehua rain, Welcoming the visitor In the calm seas of Kühiö Bay, Listen carefully In the uplands one can hear the voice Of the beating hand (kapa beater) It is only with Käna‘e’s voice, That of the rare lehua mamo Praise your name, Through Hilo of Hanakahi |
| Source: Tony C.- Mana`o: Composed for a family member and master craftsman in Hawaiian tapa, pahu making and much more, Dennis Kâna‘e Keawe. The introduction to this talented individual was made by Mâpuana & Kihei de Silva which the ‘ilima refers to in the 2nd stanza. The lehua mamo refers directly to Kâna‘e because his house on Wainohia street in Hilo, is one of the few that has a huge lehua mamo tree fronting it. Like the lehua mamo's rarity, so is the love, compassion, hospitality and aloha that Kâna‘e exudes. Copyright 1985, Publishing Mountain Apple Co. | |