A few years ago, members of Ahahui Mālama i ka Lōkahi, Hawaiians for the Preservation of Native Ecosystems, in their restoration work of Nā Pōhaku o Hauwahine, Ulupō heiau, Holomakani heiau, and other wahi pana associated with Kawainui, Kailua, asked me what appropriate oli kāhea might be given when they approach their work. It was an opportunity to haku i kahi mele pokole for the group, and after spending some time sitting at the different places and contemplating on what I knew of Kawainui region, this emerged:
Hā‘ale‘ale ka leo (o) ka ‘alae
He māpuna leo polo ‘ai i ka la‘i
He pule kānaenae i Ulupō
I ulu pono la i Ulumāwao
Kakali ka neke i ka nihi
(i) ka ni‘o o ka wahinewai
Ke nihi ka hele nei, e!
Ke nihi ka hele nei, e!
PANE:
Māwehe ‘ia ka neki i ka wai
E hō‘ike i ka wai ‘ānapanapa
Hō‘ike pū nō ka mana‘o pono
E mai, hele mai, i [Nā Pōhaku]
E mai, hele mai, eia nō mākou nei
translation:
Full is the voice of the ‘alae
A voice of invitation in the calm
A chant of request to Ulupō
That true inspiration reaches Ulumāwao
The neke ferns await at the border
At the entrance of the woman-water
(We) proceed with due care now!
(We) proceed with due care now!
ANSWER:
The neki rushes part at the water
Reveal the shimmering waters
Revealed along with your righteous intent
Approach, enter, at [Nā Pōhaku]
Approach, enter, here we are
NOTES:
Where [Nā Pōhaku] appears in the above, other Kawainui worksites can be replaced, such as Ulupō, Kaha, Hāmākua, Holomakani, etc.
There is quite a bit of kaona and symbolism in this oli that bears explanation:
‘alae: The ‘alae is an endangered endemic waterbird of Kawainui, and in ancient times, the ‘alae symbolized the voice of the chief whose opinion swayed the chiefly council. Some consider the voice of the ‘alae an ill omen, but as a kinolau of Hauwahine, the voice of the ‘alae is an auspicious thing at Kawainui!
māpuna leo: literally: wafted voice of few words; an apt description of the voice of the ‘alae! But "māpuna" also alludes to the life-giving freshwater springs that arise in Kawainui.
polo ‘ai: literally: to summon, to invite. Also a veiled allusion to the famous lepo ‘ai of Kawainui, one of the ‘ai kamaha‘o of the land.
Ulupō and Ulumawao lie before and behind you as you chant at Nā Pōhaku, and the play on ulu (growth, inspiration) is quite obvious here.
neke: an ambiguous reference to two plants of Kawainui: a fern, and also a bullrush of the same name. A variant of the name is "neki."
ni‘o: doorway or sacred threshold, but also highest point, pinnacle, as the stone of Nā Pōhaku are perched on high, overlooking the wetlands.
wahinewai: a veiled reference to Hauwahine, the mo‘o-wahine of Kawainui.
nihi ka hele: to proceed with careful observance of kapu. Proceeding with care is part of the protocol of respect.
‘ānapanapa: The ‘ānapanapa is an indigenous plant that grows around Nā Pōhaku, but also describes the shimmering waters of Kawainui.
Haku ‘ia e S. M. ‘Ohukani‘ōhi‘a Gon III, Kekemapa 2000, no ka ‘Ahahui Mālama i ka Lōkahi.
-------------------------------
It was later that I was honored to meet Walter Mahealani Keale, whose voice is reminiscent of both his uncle Moe Keale and his hoahānau Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. He told me that his contemplations at the edge of Kawainui had been very important for him spiritually, and when he first heard the oli kāhea being presented by members of the Ahahui, he learned the oli, and then, as musicians are wont to do, gave it music. He converted the kāhea and pane into the two verses of a mele. Now it is on his CD.
I thought Iʻd offer this to the Haku Mele group
me ke aloha,
ʻOhuOli Kähea no Kawainui.doc
Replies
http://www.myspace.com/ohukaniohia
It reminds me that when he first had me listen to it, he referred to it as the Z Z Top version of the oli kahea!
;)
ʻOhu