As a board member of the 'Ahahui Mālama i ka Lōkahi (Hawaiians for the Preservation of Native Ecosystems), I am asked to provide guidance and protocols for cultural approaches to our conservation and revegetation/restoration work. I would like to share here the entrance chant composed for work at Kawainui, O'ahu:Oli komo no KawainuiEntrance chant for KawainuiKAHEA (CALL):Hā'ale'ale ka leo o ka 'alaeHe māpuna leo polo 'ai i ka la'iHe pule kānaenae i UlupōI ulu pono la i UlumawaoKakali ka neke i ka nihii ka ni'o o ka wahinewaiKe nihi ka hele nei, e!Ke nihi ka hele nei, e!Full is the voice of the 'alaeA voice of invitation in the calmA chant of request to UlupōThat true inspiration reaches UlumawaoThe neke ferns await at the borderAt the entrance of the woman-water(We) proceed with due care now!(We) proceed with due care now!PANE (RESPONSE):Māwehe 'ia ka neki i ka waiE hō'ike i ka wai 'ānapanapaHō'ike pū nō ka mana'o ponoE mai, hele mai, i [Nā Pōhaku]E mai, hele mai, eia nō mākou neiThe neki bullrushes part at the shoreRevealing the shimmering watersRevealed along with your righteous intentApproach, enter, at [Nā Pōhaku]Approach, enter, here we areNOTES: There is quite a bit of kaona and symbolism in this oli that bears explanation:'alae: The 'alae (Hawaiian gallinule) 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 (see wahinewai, below) , the voice of the 'alae is an auspicious thing at Kawainui!mapuna leo: literally: wafted voice of few words; an apt description of the voice of the 'alae! But "mapuna" 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 (edible mud) of Kawainui, one of the 'ai kamaha'o (astonishing foods) of the land.Ulupo heiau and Ulumawao hill lie before and behind you as you chant at Na Pohaku, and the play on ulu (growth, inspiration) is intended 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 Na Pohaku are perched on high, overlooking the wetlands.Recently, Walter Mahealni Keale made this oli into a mele, and put it on his new CD. He calls it the "ZZTop of Oli Kāhea" and I enjoy its sound! You can hear it and judge for yourself:wahinewai: a veiled reference to Hauwahine, the mo'o-wahine (woman lizard-goddess) of Kawainui.nihi ka hele: to proceed with careful observance of kapu. Proceeding with care is part of the protocol of respect.'anapanapa: The 'anapanapa is an indigenous plant that grows around Na Pohaku, but also describes the shimmering waters of Kawainui.Haku 'ia e S. M. 'Ohukani'ohi'a Gon III, Kekemapa 2000, no ka 'Ahahui Malama i ka Lokahi.
mahalo for sharing that with us.
Posted by Kekz on Monday, February 05, 2007 - 6:59 PM
E like me ka leo hanohano o Hauwahine.
Posted by Seoul Bruddah on Tuesday, February 06, 2007 - 10:47 AM
Mahalo for sharing this beautiful oli! I like the haku mele notes too! Visited with Kapaliku and Keoni last Saturday and Kapaliku showed us his nursery--and I think there was a neki or neke plant he showed us. One funny thing though he said to me do you remember when you, 'Ohu and I were in the CHS office and we were looking at an oli and trying to translate it and there was this plant I think it was aalahina or something else probably, well here it is and then he crushed a bit of it in his palm and let me smell it. Too funny how things come to completion so long after they begin, and how it is carried in someone's memory to be shared with you later.
Posted by Noelani on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 - 1:58 AM
Comments
mahalo for sharing that with us.
Posted by Kekz on Monday, February 05, 2007 - 6:59 PM
E like me ka leo hanohano o Hauwahine.
Posted by Seoul Bruddah on Tuesday, February 06, 2007 - 10:47 AM
Mahalo for sharing this beautiful oli! I like the haku mele notes too! Visited with Kapaliku and Keoni last Saturday and Kapaliku showed us his nursery--and I think there was a neki or neke plant he showed us. One funny thing though he said to me do you remember when you, 'Ohu and I were in the CHS office and we were looking at an oli and trying to translate it and there was this plant I think it was aalahina or something else probably, well here it is and then he crushed a bit of it in his palm and let me smell it. Too funny how things come to completion so long after they begin, and how it is carried in someone's memory to be shared with you later.
Posted by Noelani on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 - 1:58 AM