Mauna Kea - Words & music by Mokihana Fernandez


Na ka Mauna Kea la i kono mai a`u
E naue i ka `âina malihini

`Âina kaulana o Hilo Hanakahi
`Âina ho`ohie a ka malihini

He aloha Mokuola a e kû nei
I ka uluwehi ka lau o ka nui

E kîlohi i ka nani o Waiakea
Me ke one `anapa i Waiolama

Mâlama ke aloha waiho i loko

Kau nui aku nei kahi mana`o
E `ike iâ Waiânuenue

I laila ho`i hope na malihini
E `ike i ka nani a`o ka Wahine

Ko mai ke `ala a`o ka maile
Na kâhiko `ia a `oia uka

He nahele ia puîa me ka lehua
Lei ho`ohihi hoi a ka malihini

`Ike i ka nani a`o Halema`uma`u
Me ke ahi kaulana a ka Wahine

Pehea mai `oe Uwekahuna
Me ka pali kapu o Kamohoali`i

He ali`i nui `oe na ka malihini
O nei `âina pahoehoe

Aloha ia uka me ka onaona
O wili lei rose lei `ohelo

Mana`o a`e au e ho`i i ka home
Ika uluwehiwehi o Kapâlama

Ke huli ho`i nei ka Mauna Kea
E `ike i ka nani a o ka kaona

Ha`ina `ia mai ana ka puana
Lei `ohu`ohu i ka lei Pa`i Niu

Ha`ina hou `ia mai ana ka puana
Ku`u lei mokihana poina `ole

The invitation came from the Mauna Kea
To go and see the beauties of the strange land

A famous land is Hilo Hanakahi
A land admired by visitors

Beloved is Mokuola, standing near
Adorned with the leaves of the coco palms

A glance at the beauty of Waiakea
And the sparkling sands of Waiolama

Leaving this ship that has taken care of us

The mind is set on seeing
Waiânuenue Falls

From there the visitors turn back
To see the beauty of the goddess (Pele)

The fragrance of the maile is wafted hither
The adornment of that upland

Filled with the fragrance of lehua
Lei much liked by visitors

To see the beauty of Halema`uma`u
And the famous fire of the goddess

How fare you, O Uwekahuna
And the sacred cliff of Kamohoali`i

A chief are you to the visitors
Of this lava covered land

Beloved is the upland and its fragrance
There is combined a lei of roses and `ôhelo berries

I think of going home
To the lovely grove of Kapâlama

The Mauna Kea is on its homeward way
To see the beauty of the town

This ends my song
Adorned with the lei of Pa`i Niu

Again my song ends
For my unforgettable mokihana lei

Source: King's Hawaiian Melodies - This Mauna Kea is the inter-island steamship. Verse 2. Hanakahi was a beloved ancient chief of Hilo and this area has since been called Hilo of Hanakahi. Verse 3, Mokuola (island of healing) is the Hawaiian name of Coconut Island in Hilo Bay. Under the flat table rock called Papa-a-Hina (stratum of Hina) is where umbilical cords of babies were hidden. Verse 4, the sands of Waiolama, between Hilo and Waiakea, used to sparkle because of the olivine mixed in the sand. This is no longer true.Waiânuenue is Rainbow Falls and Uwêkahuna is the bluff above Kilauea Crater. Verse 11, Kamohoali`i was the older brother of Pele who led the migration to Hawai`i in the Pele narratives. Verse 13, the lei was entwined with `ôhelo berries and small pink roses that grow only at the volcano. Verse 16, Pa`i Niu is a native Hawaiian lily that grows in clumps. The silver or tan leaves are long and narrow and the upper part of the leaf is peeled off revealing white strips like cellophane that are made into lei. This lei was proof that one had visited Kilauea. Verse 1 translation from King's Hawaiian Melodies. Verse 2-17 translated by Mary Pukui. Copyright 1916, 43 Charles E. King