Ke Ala A Ka Jeep

Ke Ala A Ka Jeep - Words by Mary Kawena Pukui , music by Eddie Kamae
ʻInā ʻoe e kau ana, i ke kaʻa jeep He loa ke ala e hele ai, he kāhulihuli Ma nā piʻina nā ihona piha pōhaku `Alo ana i nā pānini me na ʻēkoa Hoʻopūʻiwa i nā pipi a holo i kāhiʻe Pēlā mākou, i hiki ai, i kai o Waikapuna A mai laila, a Pūʻula, me kona hiehie ʻIke aku i ke ana ʻo Puhiʻula Hoʻi hou aku i Nāʻālehu, me ke kaʻa jeep Hauʻoli ka helena me nā makamaka Alu aku i Kalae a me Kaulana A ʻike ʻia Palahemo wai kamahaʻo A hiki mai i ka hale o ka makamaka Luana i ka laʻi ʻolu ʻo Waiʻōhinu Haʻina ka puana me ke aloha No ka ʻāina ka ua o Hāʻao.	When you get into the jeep It is a long, rough road to travel Going uphill or downhill, it is full of rocks Dodge the prickly pear cactus and the false koa We startled the cattle going to another place So thus, we arrive at the sea of Waikapuna There at Pūʻula, magnificent in its grandeur See the caves of Puhiʻula We return to Naʻalehu with the jeep Happy, going to see our dear friends We gather at South Point and Kaulana View Palahemo, remarkable waters Arrive at the house of dear friends Relax in the peacefulness of Waiʻōhinu Let it be told with love For the land of the rain of Hāʻao.
Source: Myrna Kamae - The lyrics for "Ke Ala A Ka Jeep" came about because of a trip Myrna and Eddie Kamae took by jeep at the invitation of Mary Kawena Pukui. Kawena wanted to show Eddie and Myrna the places in Kaʻū where she spent time with her grandmother who was teaching Kawena the old ways. When they came back to the home of their friend, Uncle Willie Meinecke in Nāʻālehu, Kawena and Myrna worked on the lyrics about their day on the jeep, up the inclines, down the hollows. It was fun and by the end of the day, Eddie had composed the music and most of the song was finished. There was so much excitement, they forgot to get gas for the jeep and had to coast down the hill from Volcano to a gas station; fortunately, it was downhill. Copyright 1971Hawai`i Sons, Inc. Eddie Kamae's website: www.hawaiianlegacy.com