Na Lei O Hawaii - Na Moku Ewalu
Leis of Hawaii - Eight Islands - by Rev. Samuel Kapu
 
Hanohano Hawai`i moku o Keawe
E lei ha`aheo nei i ka lehua
 
 
Kilakila o Maui Haleakala
Ua kapu roselani nau ho`okahi
 
 
Kaulana Oahu i ka `ilima
Kohu kapa `ahu`ula kau po`ohiwi
 
 
Kaulana Kaua`i i ka mokihana
Laua`e o Makana kau aloha
 
 
Kaulana Moloka`i nui a Hina
I ka ulu kukui o Lanikaula
 
 
Lei ana Lana`i i ke kauna`oa
Me he manu `o`o hulu melemele
 
 
Pupu Niihau auhea `oe
Hoike a`e `oe a i ko nani
 
 
Eia mai au Kaho`olawe
Ho`oheno ana au me ka hinahina
 
 
Hea aku makou o mai 'oe
Molokini 'alo ke 'ehu o ke kai
 
 
Ha'ina ia mai ana kapuana
Na lei o Hawaii e o mai
 
 
Ha'ina hou ia mai ana ka puana
Hi'iaka ia ka poli a o Pele

Lehua

Lokelani
Ilima

Mokihana
Kukui
Kaunaoa & Pupu Shells
 
Hinahina
 
Majestic Hawaii, home of Keawe
Proudly wearing garlands of lehua
 
 
Regal Haleakala of Maui
Reserved is roselani for you alone
 
 
Famed is Oahu for her 'ilima
Adorns one like a feather cape
 
 
Famed is Kauai for mokihana
Laua'e of Makana, given with love
 
 
Molokai, great isle of Hina
The kukui grove of Lanikaula
 
 
The lei of Lanai, sweet kauna'oa
Like the O'o bird's yellow feathers
 
 
Shells of Niihau, where are you?
Show forth your beauty
 
 
Here I am waiting, Kahoolawe
Hinahina decorates my shores
 
 
We call to you, oh give an answer
Sea foam graces Molokini
 
 
Sing the refrain
Garlands of Hawaii, answer us
 
 
Sing the refrain for the last time
Hi'iaka in the bosom of Pele

 

Source: Folk Songs Hawaii Sings by John M. Kelly, Jr. Library of Congress Catalog Card #62-14118 - Composed in the 1890's, this is the earliest of several songs with the same title that celebrate the uniting of the islands into the kingdom of Hawaii. Red (`ula`ula) is the color of the big island of Hawai`i and lehua (metrosideros macropus) is their flower. Keawe was a distinguished chief of this island. Pink (`akala) represents Maui and the small pink rose or lokelani is their flower. Haleakala (house of the sun) is an extinct volcano on this island. The delicate ilima is the flower of Oahu and yellow (melemele) is its color. Purple (poni) represents Kaua`i and the green mokihana berry (pelea anisata) found only on this island is their symbol. Laua`e o Makana is a sweet fern from Makana, Kaua`i. Green (`omao`mao) is the color of Moloka`i and the kukui or candlenut tree (aleurite moluccana) is their symbol. Hina was the goddess-mother of Moloka`i and Lanikaula was perhaps the greatest prophet of ancient Hawai`i. Orange (`alani) is for Lanai and the kauna`oa (cuscuta sandwichiana) is their symbol. Pupu shells and white (ke`oke`o) honor the island of Niihau. Gray (ahina) is the color of Kaho`olawe and their symbol is hinahina (heliotropium anomalum) a low spreading beach plant with narrow, clustered silvery leaves and small white flowers. It is sometimes replaced with spanish moss. Molokini, a small, uninhabited island, has no symbolic color or flower. Hi`iaka, the youngest and favorite sister of Pele traveled extensively in the seas between the islands.