La `Elima - Elizabeth Kuahaia

La `elima o Pepeluali
Waimaka helele(he`e nei)`i ke alanui

Paiki pu`olo pa`a i ka lima
(Maika pu olo a`a ika lima)
Waimaka helele `i i ke alanui!
(Ae maka hele he`e nui ike alanui
Hui:
Penei pepe `alala nei
(He nei pepe ala`a nei)
He hu`i ma`e`ele kou nui kino
(E`u ima e hele kou lui kino)

Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana
He mele he inoa no Miloli`i
(E mele he noe no Miloli`i)

The fifth day of February
Tears fell along the roadway
(Tears scattered in the street)
Bags and bundles held tightly
Tears fell along the roadway

Chorus:
 The babies cry
(You there Baby Crying here)
Numbing to the body
(Your whole bady will ache with chills)

Tell the refrain
(The refrain is told)
 A name song for Miloli`i
(A song, a name song for Miloli`i)

Source: Diane Aki "Troubled Paradise" CD, Ho`okena "Cool Elevation" CD, R.R. - Miloli`i ( fine twist or small swirling) was a fishing village renowned for its sennit that may have been named for an expert sennit twister who once lived there. This mele immortalizes the miraculous events caused by the magnitude 7.0 plus earthquake and destructive tsunami that struck the village in 1868. Written and oral history about and from Miloli`i confirm there was no loss of life, missing children were led to safety in caves and rescued 5 days later, and Hau`oli Ka Mana`o Church was lifted by the water and moved inland with little or no damage. The kapuna from other South Kona communities joined the village in thanksgiving, at the `aha `aina kai, lasting several days. The transpositional words epitomize an old style of haku mele that is lost.