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Values and intentions of ʻŌiwi leadership form the paepae upon which Kamehameha Schools was established. This foundation manifests the character of a virtuous woman, Ke Aliʻi Pauahi, and “all those noble traits of character she possessed.” It enlightens lifeways that have been preserved and extended by the good and industrious contributions nā pua a Pauahi have made to our society.
 
Leadership is relational. The concept suggests that there are desired outcomes and a collective who are moved to act by words and deeds to achieve these intended results. I ka wā ma mua, when we relied exclusively on oral communications, the exhortations and inspirations of leaders were expressed in oli, mele, and kaʻao that capitalized on the power of poetry and imagery to capture minds and hearts and to pass on observations, lessons and worldview from one generation to the next.
 
Even after development of a written language, we cling to these traditions because we appreciate music’s uniquely compelling power to remind us of those things that define our identity, charge our purpose and grow our legacy. And so Kamehameha has sung, and sung again.

“Aloha Pauahi: Voices of Legacy” sustains our musical heritage. A host of beloved Kamehameha alumni “swell the echo of our song” by sharing oli and mele that Aloha Pauahi. Included are compositions and recordings from five generations of graduates. Their mele honor our deities, express affection, recall fond memories, appreciate beauty, chronicle poignant moments and convey resolve to perpetuate our people and ideals. It is a celebration of the ancestral wisdom of ʻŌiwi leaders. “Let hills and valleys loud our song prolong.”

Neil J. Kahoʻokele Hannahs, KS ʻ69
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ʻAe, Hole Waimea i ka ihe a ka makani

Hole Waimea i ka ihe a ka makani
Hao mai nā ʻale a ke Kīpuʻupuʻu
He lāʻau kalaʻihi na ke anu
ʻŌʻō i ka nahele o Mahiki lā
Kū akula ʻoe i ka Malanai a ke Kīpuʻupuʻu
Holu ē ka maka o ka ʻōhāwai o Uli
Niniau ʻeha i ka pua o Koaiʻa lā
ʻEha iaʻu ka nahele aʻo Waikā
ʻEa lā, ʻea lā, ʻea lā, ʻeā

He ipo, eia
He aloha Waika ʻea lā ʻea lā
Iaʻu mea i me he ipo ala lā
ʻEa lā, ʻea lā, ʻea lā, ʻeā
He ipo, eia
​

Waimea is tousled with shafts of the wind,
While the Kīpuʻupuʻu puffs in gusts,
The trees are blighted by the cold
That drives through the forest of Mahiki.
You are pierced by the cold Kīpuʻupuʻu wind
That sets the ʻōhāwai blossoms asway,
Wearied and bruised are the flowers of Koaiʻa,
Stung by me is the herbage of Waika.

Waika loves me like a sweetheart…
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ʻAe, e nā ʻaumākua o ka pō
E nā ʻaumākua o ke ao
ʻO Uli kuʻu kūpuna wahine
ʻO Haumea kuʻu kumu mana
ʻO Pele koʻu akua lā e
ʻO Kū, Kūhoʻoneʻenuʻu akua kamaʻāina
ʻO Lono, Lonomākua hoʻā i ke ahi
ʻO Kāne, Kāneikewaiola a me Kanaloa
E hoʻihoʻi mai iā mākou ka ʻāina
E hoʻihoʻi mai iā mākou ke ea
E hoʻihoʻi mai iā mākou ke aupuni
E hoʻihoʻi mai iā mākou ka mana o ka lāhui
E māliu kuʻu ʻuwalo e
E mālama a e hoʻoulu
I kou ʻoukou mau pulapula
Ā kolopupū
Ā haumaka ʻiole
Ā kaʻi koko
Ā pala lauhala e
E pale i nā mea ʻino a pau e
ʻĀmama ua noa
Ua lele wale nō e

​
Oh Ancestors of the Night
Oh Ancestors of the Day
Oh Uli my grandmother
Oh Haumea my spiritual source
Oh Pele my goddess
Oh Kū who moves mountains, goddess of politics
Oh Lono, god of fertility, who lights the fire
Oh Kāne and Kanaloa, gods of fresh and ocean water
Return to us this land
Return to us the sovereignty
Return to us the government
Return to us the mana of the nation
Hear my prayer
Preserve and inspire
Your descendants until we are so old
That we must crawl instead of walk
And our eyes droop like a rat
And we must be carried in a net
And our skin is like dried pandanus
Guard us from all evil
The prayer has ended, it is free
It has already flown to the heavens
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Eia mākou i luna o ka moku
ʻO Leilehua ke kuini o ke kai
Me nā kini a me ka hauʻoli
Mea ʻole i ke ala hele.

Nui nā ʻale aʻo ka moana
Hū ka ʻehukai, pulu i ka ʻili
Pōhai nā manu ʻēlele o ke aupuni
Hahaʻi i hea ka holo ʻana i ka iʻa.

Lū nā laina a ka lawaiʻa
Nā laina huila me laina KenKen
Kani ka pele lohi ē ka ʻenekini
Paʻa ka iʻa he mahimahi nui!

I lalo mākou i ka lumi kuke
Hoʻomākaukau i ka mea ʻono i ka puʻu ke moni
Inu a kena ʻai a māʻona
Ua lawa ē nā hoaaloha.

Kū mai ʻo Mahinulani
He kāpena o ka moku
Kona hewa he leo nui
Eia nō naʻe, he puʻuwai ʻoluʻolu.

Puana ka holo o ka moku
Ua lawa mākou i ka leʻaleʻa
Pili i ta uapo. Paʻa nā laina.
ʻO Leilehua ke kuini o ke kai!

Here we are aboard the ship
Leilehua, the queen of the sea.
With the multitudes and with happiness
The route was without difficulty

The swells of the ocean are great.
The sea spray rises, causing the skin to be soaked
The messenger birds of the land encircle
To tell where the fish are.

The lines are cast
The reel and the KenKen lines
The bell rings, the engine slows
A mahimahi is secured on the line.

Below deck in the galley
We prepare food to the delight of our pallets
We drink until satisfied and eat until full.
All are content.

Mahinulani stands
As the Captain of the ship
His only fault is his booming voice
He, however, has a kind heart.

Thus is the refrain of the travels aboard the boat
We are overcome by enjoyment
The boat docks. The tow line is secured.
Leilehua is the queen of the sea.

While Beamer’s recorded performance reorganizes a few verses, the lyrics above reflect the composition in its intended format.

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Mele ka manu i ka wehi o uka
Kuʻu hoa o ka Hale Pīkake
E lele aʻela i ka lani
Me ka leo honehone i ka puʻuwai
Lana ka manaʻo iā ʻoe e Laeʻahi
Kuʻu puna e ʻapo mai

Eia kāua i ka setting o ka lā
I lei me ka maile lauliʻi
Ola, e ola i ka wehi o uka
Noho pono i ka Hale Pīkake
Noho pono i ka Hale Pīkake

Ua kō ka ʻiʻini, ua hū ke aloha
Me ʻoe aʻo wau
ʻAʻohe lua e like ai
Me ʻoe aʻo wau, lawa iho nō
Noho pono, noho pono i ka Hale Pīkake


The bird sings of the beauty of the uplands
My friend of the Hale Pīkake
Flying above to the heavens
With a sweet voice my heart cherishes
My mind lingers to Laeʻahi
My kupuna, let’s embrace

Here we are at sunset
With a lei of maile lauliʻi
We live and thrive by the beauty of the uplands
Made at home at Hale Pīkake
Made at home at Hale Pīkake

My desires are fulfilled, love swells
With you and me
Nothing compares
You and I are enough
Made at home at Hale Pīkake

​
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ʻO ka ulua ʻoe e ulu aʻe ai ka hoi,
ʻO ke ʻahi ʻoe e lapa ai ke ahi o loko,
ʻO ke kūmū ʻoe e kuhikuhi mai i ke ala,
ʻO ka weke ʻoe e wehewehe mai i ke ala,
ʻO ka ʻamaʻama ʻoe e mālamalama ai ke ala,
ʻO ka moano ʻoe e manomano ai ka ʻike i ke ala,
ʻO ke ono ʻoe e ʻono ai ke kole i ke ala,
ʻO ke kala ʻoe e kala ʻia ai nā hemahema i ke ala,
ʻO ka pua hoʻi ʻoe a nā iʻa i piʻi i ka ʻāina,
I ke ala o ka pono o ka noho ʻana.
Ua noho mai ʻoe, a ua pono ka lehulehu.
Ua pono hoʻi ka ʻāina i ka Piʻi-a-nā-iʻa!
He inoa no Mr. P.


You are the ulua that inspires,
You are the ʻahi that causes a fire to burn within,
You are the kūmū that points out the path,
You are the weke that opens up the path,
You are the ʻamaʻama that brings light to the path,
You are the moano that brings great knowledge to the path,
You are the ono that makes exchanges so pleasant on the path,
You are the kala that ensures forgiveness of shortcomings on the path,
You are the progeny of fish who rose up onto the land,
Who traveled over the path seeking justice and prosperity.
Because of the path of your life, we prosper.
Because of the Rise-of-the-fish, we are greatly blessed!
This is a name chant for Mr. P.

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Pīkake, my flower divine
Pīkake, please say you’ll be mine
Please say you love me too
As much as I love you
And promise to be true
Always be true dear

Pīkake, I can’t let you go
My poor heart just wants you to know
That it’s so plain to see
That you will always be
Throughout eternity, Pīkake, mine.

​

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Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua ē

Mai hāʻawi pio e nā makamaka `ōiwi maoli o ka pae ʻāina
He paepae e halihali pōhaku i kūkulu aupuni hoʻokahua
E ulu no ke kumu hoʻomana e ka hana laulima me ka mālama wale
Hopu ka manawa, hoʻopau ka waha paʻa i nēia no ka huli au ē

Ulu aʻe noʻeau me ka ʻike pū
E hō mai manaʻolana me ka pono ē
E kia manaʻoʻiʻo i ke ala hou
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai

Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua ē

ʻO Kānehoalani i ka moʻo kuahiwi lā hikina hoʻi a ka lā kau
Kūnou ka lehulehu hoʻonani Kualoa, haʻahaʻa ʻo Ka Naʻi Aupuni
Aʻo moʻolelo, hanohano nā kūpuna, kahe aku i ka wai manaʻolana
E ō nā Hawaiʻi, nānā aku i ka pono i nēia no ka huli au ē

Ulu aʻe noʻeau me ka ʻike pū
E hō mai manaʻolana me ka pono ē
E kia manaʻoʻiʻo i ke ala hou
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai

Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua e alakaʻi mai
Na nā ʻAumākua ē

​
The ancestors guide us
The ancestors guide us
The ancestors guide us
The ancestors, indeed

Don’t give up, native friends of our lands
A foundation to bring stones to build a fortified nation
Grow from the source, work together and take care
Seize the moment, do not be silent in this time of change

Let wisdom and knowledge grow
Bring forth hope and balance
Direct faith in the new path
The ancestors guide us

The ancestors guide us
The ancestors guide us
The ancestors guide us
The ancestors, indeed

Kānehoalani in the succession of mountains from the east to the west
The multitudes bow toward Kualoa, the Nation Conqueror is humbled
Teach stories, honor the elders, let the waters of hope flow
Respond, Hawaiʻi, look toward the righteousness of this time of change

Let wisdom and knowledge grow
Bring forth hope and balance
Direct faith in the new path
The ancestors guide us

The ancestors guide us
The ancestors guide us
The ancestors guide us
The ancestors, indeed
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There’s an island across the sea
Beautiful Kauaʻi, beautiful Kauaʻi
And it’s calling, yes, calling to me
Beautiful Kauaʻi, beautiful Kauaʻi

In the mist of Fern Grotto
Mother Nature made her home
And falls of Wailua
Where lovers often roam

So I’ll return to my isle across the sea
Beautiful Kauaʻi, beautiful Kauaʻi
Where my true love is waiting for me
Beautiful Kauaʻi, beautiful Kauaʻi

Lei ana ʻo Makana
I ke ʻala o ka lauaʻe
Kū kilakila Nāmolokama 
Loku ʻala i ka maile lauliʻi

Hemolele Kauaʻi i ka mālie
He nani nō ʻo Kauaʻi, he nani nō ʻo Kauaʻi
He nani nō ʻo Kauaʻi, Beautiful Kauaʻi
​
Makana wears a lei
Of the fragrance of lauaʻe
The Nāmolokama mountains stand tall
Imbued with small-leaf maile

Kauaʻi is pristine in the calm
Kauaʻi is beautiful, Kauaiʻi is beautiful
Kauaʻi is beautiful
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E maliu mai e kuʻu ipo
A e pili mau me aʻu ke aloha
Nou wale nō ka ʻiʻini a loko
Nou e Leilani

Nou wale nō e kuʻu Leilani
Ke koʻiʻi koi a loko
Pili mau me ʻoe
Ke aloha makamae

Hearken to me, my sweetheart
May your love be ever with me,
Only for you is the desire within
For you, O Leilani

Only for you, my Leilani
Is the greatest desire within
Always with you
The precious love.

​
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Eia mākou i luna o ka moku
ʻO Leilehua ke kuini o ke kai
Me nā kini a me ka hauʻoli
Mea ʻole i ke ala hele.

Nui nā ʻale aʻo ka moana
Hū ka ʻehukai, pulu i ka ʻili
Pōhai nā manu ʻēlele o ke aupuni
Hahaʻi i hea ka holo ʻana i ka iʻa.

Lū nā laina a ka lawaiʻa
Nā laina huila me laina KenKen
Kani ka pele lohi ē ka ʻenekini
Paʻa ka iʻa he mahimahi nui!

I lalo mākou i ka lumi kuke
Hoʻomākaukau i ka mea ʻono i ka puʻu ke moni
Inu a kena ʻai a māʻona
Ua lawa ē nā hoaaloha.

Kū mai ʻo Mahinulani
He kāpena o ka moku
Kona hewa he leo nui
Eia nō naʻe, he puʻuwai ʻoluʻolu.

Puana ka holo o ka moku
Ua lawa mākou i ka leʻaleʻa
Pili i ta uapo. Paʻa nā laina.
ʻO Leilehua ke kuini o ke kai!

​
Here we are aboard the ship
Leilehua, the queen of the sea.
With the multitudes and with happiness
The route was without difficulty

The swells of the ocean are great.
The sea spray rises, causing the skin to be soaked
The messenger birds of the land encircle
To tell where the fish are.

The lines are cast
The reel and the KenKen lines
The bell rings, the engine slows
A mahimahi is secured on the line.

Below deck in the galley
We prepare food to the delight of our pallets
We drink until satisfied and eat until full.
All are content.

Mahinulani stands
As the Captain of the ship
His only fault is his booming voice
He, however, has a kind heart.
​
Thus is the refrain of the travels aboard the boat
We are overcome by enjoyment
The boat docks. The tow line is secured.
Leilehua is the queen of the sea.

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Kō maʻi ʻaukā gula lā a tē
Lilelile lua nei lā a ʻū
Inu nei a waha lā a tē
Luhe aloha i ta wai lā a ʻū
Maluna ta (ta) wilina lā a tē
Holu a e nape i ka wai lā a ʻū
Haʻina mai tō maʻi lā a tē
Holu a e nape i ka wai lā a ʻū

​He maʻi no Leleiōhoku
​
Your gold-bar genitals
Sparklingly with intensity
Drinking by mouth
Hanging for liquid
Drilling above
Swaying for liquid
Your genital song is told
Swaying for liquid

​In deference to Wong’s unique performance of this mele, the lyrics are transcribed from this recording and presented here.
© COPYRIGHT 2025. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • WHO WE ARE
    • Board of Directors
    • Nā Limahana
    • 2024 In Review
  • OUR BELIEFS
  • OUR WORK
    • Mele Pūnana Leo
    • Kani Kō i Lohe ʻia
    • Aloha Pauahi
    • May Day >
      • May Day 2024
      • May Day 2023
      • May Day 2022
      • May Day 2021
      • May Day 2020
      • May Day 2020 - Sing Along
    • Past Projects >
      • Mele Hoʻopulapula, Vol. 2
      • Mele Hoʻopulapula, Vol. 1
      • Ka Haku Mele
      • Why It Matters
      • Huliāmahi, Vol. 1
      • Mele Huliāmahi
  • MELE.COM
  • Mele Conference
  • DONATE