Nani Venuse - words by Mary Puku`i, music by Maddy K. Lam
He nani kou e Venuse E kau ha`aheo nei `Olinolino mai i luna O ka maka o ka opua He mana`o ho`ohali`a Ho`onape ana i ka poli I kau ha`i ana mai Eia a`e ku`u huapala Ku`u hoa kuikui lima O a pô mahina la`i konane I ka nehe mai a ke kai Hâwanawana i ke one Pili `ia me kealoha I ka ua nui me ka makani Kama ia a pa`a pono Ua kumu i ka pu`uwai Ha`ina mai ka puana No ka nani O Venuse `Olinolino mai i luna I ka maka o ka `öpua	You are beautiful, O Venus Resting proudly on high A gleaming light above Before the face of the clouds An expectant thought comes Causing a stir within When you told me That my loved one approaches Companion with whom I hold hands On bright moonlight nights Where waves gently wash ashore To whisper softly to the sands Together with love, always In the rains and the winds Bound securely together With deep affection in the heart This ends my song Of the beauty of Venus Gleaming high above Before the face of the clouds
Source: - Written between 1955-56, Kahauanu Lake and his group were the first to record it on Maddy Lam's recording label. The Polynesian navigator (ho`okele) had not instruments and used the prevailing winds, the moods of the sea, and the sky, with the sun as the most important guide, to sail the vast ocean. They steered by the stars, the easiest form of navigation at night, and were very knowledgable about astronomy, memorizing at least 220 star patterns and their paths in the heavens (where they rise, and where they set). They were able to distinguish planets from stars by their movements and also used planets for guides once their positions were determined. Planets appear to move among the fixed stars and were called hoku hele (traveling stars), or hoku `ae`a (wandering stars). The Hawaiians knew 5 planets: Mars - Hoku `ula (red star); Venus - Hoku loa (great star); Jupiter - Ka`awela - brilliant one; Mercury - Ukali, (Sun follower); Saturn - Makulu (dripping mist). Copyright Criterion Music Corp