A song for King Kalakaua from Queen Kapiolani, unfortunately he never heard it...

King Kalakaua ~.~

Queen Kapiolani ~.~ Ka Ipo Lei Manu - Queen Kapi`olani He mana`o he aloha No ka ipo lei manu He manu ku`u hoa Noho mai i ka nahele `I`iwi o uka Polena i ka ua `Elua mâua I ka pô ua nui Ua o Hanalei Anu au ma`e`ele Ua anu ho`i au I ka ua noe anu Na hau o Ma`ihi `Au ana i ke kai Na ulu o wehi Pûnohu mai ana Ke `ala o ka hala Hala o mapuana Onaona i ka ihu Ke `ala pua loke Hone `ana i ka mana`o E naue ku`u kino Ko hiki `ana mai Hau`oli ku`u mana`o Ha`ina ka puana No kalani heleloa King Kalâkaua San Francisco, Jan 1891 Queen Kapi`olani I have a feeling of love For my cherished sweetheart My companion is a bird Who dwells in the forest The `i`iwi bird of the uplands Appears yellow in the rain The two of us In the night of great rain The rain of Hanalei I'm numb with the cold I'm also cooled In the cold misty rain The hau of Ma`ihi Swimming in the sea The vegetation Spreading out The fragrance of the hala Is borne on the wind Sweetly scented Is the fragrance of the rose A sweetly recurring thought Urges my body to travel I am made happy By thoughts of your arrival Tell the refrain My chief is gone forever Source: Researched and translated by Lehua Kalima - In Hawaiian poetry, the sweetheart is personified as the `i`iwi bird. Julia Kapi`olani, the shy and retiring widow of Chief Bennett Namakeha, was one of the most beautiful women of her time and married High Chief David Kâlakaua, Dec. 1863, who was elected king in 1874. A devout christian with high morals, her motto was "Kulia I Ka Nu`u (Strive for the Highest)". Beloved by her people, distinguished by her charitable deeds, two missions close to her heart stood out: (1) she always raised money for the leper settlement in Kalaupapa to improve their living conditions, and (2) perpetuation of the Hawaiian Race. She wanted to establish a hospital for underprivileged Hawaiian women to have the best care for mothers and babies. Attending Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebration, 1887, in London, Kapiolani made many visits to hospitals and foundling homes and returned to Hawaii with much enthusiam and exciting plans for her hospital. She raised $8000 and her most cherished dream was realized when Kapiolani Maternity Home opened June 14, 1890, on the site of the former home of Princess Kekaulike. Queen Kapi`olani composed this song for her husband after he left Hawaii for the mainland aboard the Charleston, Nov, 1890. Under great political stress, his doctors thought a change of climate would benefit his failing health. He arrived in San Francisco, Dec 4 and took up residence at the Palace Hotel. He toured southern California and returned to San Francisco the middle of January for medical attention. January 20, 1891, the King died at the Palace Hotel. His last words were "Tell my people I tried". He never heard this haunting love song. Copyright 1935, Miller Music Inc

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Yolanda Crisostomo June 14, 2008 at 9:15am

When I first came back to Ko Hawaii Pae Aina from Guam I knew hardly anything about my culture. I did know that many Ali'i died while overseas and my instincts told me that they did not die naturally, they were murdered. Now I know that there is proof in documents with information that is not widely circulated, in fact, not circulated at all that contain answers to the cause of their deaths.

I Love them with all my heart and all my soul. I Love what they did for us, I Love the vision they had that puts us in one of the most unique and honorable positions in this whole wide world today.

Mahalo nui loa, Mahalo nui loa, Mahalo nui loa!!!

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