Kalākaua - Music by Lydia Bray

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Kalākaua a he inoa
Ka pua maeʻole i ka lā
ʻEā ʻeā ʻeā ʻeā
 
Ke pua maila i ka mauna
Ke kuahiwi o Mauna Kea
Ea ea ea ea
 
Ke ʻa maila i Kīlauea
Mālamalama o wahine kapu
ʻEā ʻeā ʻeā ʻeā
 
A luna o Uwē-kahuna
Ka pali kapu o Kaʻau
ʻEā ʻeā ʻeā ʻeā
 
Ea mai ke aliʻi kia manu
Ua wehi i ka hulu o ka mamo
ʻEā ʻeā ʻeā ʻeā
 
Kalākaua he inoa
Ka pua maeʻole i ka lā
ʻEā ʻeā ʻeā ʻeā
 

King David Kalākaua

 

Kalākaua is his name
A flower that wilts not in the sun
Tra la la la
 
Blooming on the summit
Of the mountain, Mauna Kea
Tra la la la
 
Burning there at Kīlauea
The light of the sacred woman
Tra la la la
 
Above Uwē-kahuna
The sacred cliff of Kaʻau
Tra la la la
 
The bird catching chief rises
Adorned with feathers of the mamo bird
Tra la la la
 
Kalākaua is the name
A flower that does not wilt in the sun
Tra la la la
 

Source: Johnny Noble’s Royal Collection of Hawaiian Songs © 1927 Johnny Noble Rights throughout the world controlled by Miller Music Corp. This is a mele inoa (name song) for King David Kalākaua set to music. Mauna Kea or white mountain is the highest in the Hawaiian Islands (13,792 ft). Kīlauea is an active volcano on the flank of Mauna Loa or long mountain. Wahine kapu is Pele, the fire goddess. Mamo is the black Hawaiian honey creeper bird (drepanis pacifica). Uwe-kahuna (crying priest) is the cliff above Kīlauea Crater and was the name of one of Chief Kahawali's priests. He challenged Pele to a holua sledding contest after she defeated Kahawali. Kaʻau is the name of the delicate rain from the cliff. Music clip by Gippy Cooke