Here is a really beautiful opening of a kanikau for Mr. Kamakea Kanuiokalani I've been wanting to work on. The entire kanikau is about 234 lines long. I can also post the introductory piece that precedes this if folks are interested.
Ko Hawaii Pae Aina
Maraki 7, 1885
1. Kuu kane ua lani-polua-po-hoaumoe o Kona-e
2. I hele mio niau palanehe aku la
3. I ke ala a ka Hinihiniula i ka hale kai a Kekeleaiku-e-aloha
4. Kuu aloha o kuu kane hoi-e
5. Kuu kane mai ka pohu lai o Waianae
6. Mai ka makani kaiaulu wehe launiu o Poka-i
7. E wehe mai ana i ka poli me he kanaka la
8.E hoeu mai ana i ke kulu aumoe
9. Momoe aku kaua o na po kehau anu o Kaala
10. Aala ka hanu o ka po kane ke moe ia
11. Puanuanu ke kino o ka po kane ole ke moe iho
12. Auwe! ka mea minamina o ke kane-e
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So I'll start and then you guys can jump in and help yes?
1. My dear husband of the rain of the night dark sky, enveloping midnight deep of Kona-e
2. who glided away, slipping silently off
3. On the high forest path of the red land shell or to the sea home of Kekeleaiku - e farewell
4. Oh my dear love, husband of mine - e
5. My husband from the calm tranquility of Wai'anae
6. From where the Kaiaulu wind parts / opens out the coconut leaves of Poka'i
7. Like a man opening his arms (here is where I see the picture, but have a hard time with the words....)
8. Arousing the approach of deep night/ or in the deep night?
9. You and I slept through the cold nights of Kaala
10. Fragrant is the breath of night spent with one's husband when sleeping (more difficulty here....idiom...aala ka hanu..)
11. Cold is the body on a night spent with out him when sleeping
12. Alas, the one for whom I grieve a husband
6 From where the Kaiaulu wind parts the coconut fronds of Pokai
7. Like a person's open arms beckoning embrace
8. So arousing in the deep of the night
as for line 10-11:
10 Fragrant is the breath of the night [with] the husband sleeping
11 Chilled is the body on a night without the husband to sleep [with]
maybe not literal, but a little bit more true to the feel.
Replies
1. My dear husband of the rain of the night dark sky, enveloping midnight deep of Kona-e
2. who glided away, slipping silently off
3. On the high forest path of the red land shell or to the sea home of Kekeleaiku - e farewell
4. Oh my dear love, husband of mine - e
5. My husband from the calm tranquility of Wai'anae
6. From where the Kaiaulu wind parts / opens out the coconut leaves of Poka'i
7. Like a man opening his arms (here is where I see the picture, but have a hard time with the words....)
8. Arousing the approach of deep night/ or in the deep night?
9. You and I slept through the cold nights of Kaala
10. Fragrant is the breath of night spent with one's husband when sleeping (more difficulty here....idiom...aala ka hanu..)
11. Cold is the body on a night spent with out him when sleeping
12. Alas, the one for whom I grieve a husband
6 From where the Kaiaulu wind parts the coconut fronds of Pokai
7. Like a person's open arms beckoning embrace
8. So arousing in the deep of the night
as for line 10-11:
10 Fragrant is the breath of the night [with] the husband sleeping
11 Chilled is the body on a night without the husband to sleep [with]
maybe not literal, but a little bit more true to the feel.
'Ohu