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| Eia mai au ʻo ka boy
lā Aʻo Laupāhoehoe lā Kihikihi nā poʻohiwi lā Pūkonakona ke kino lā Mea ʻole ka piʻina pali lā Ka ihona me nā ʻalu lā I ke kahawai aku au lā I ka ʻoʻopu nāwao lā A he hoe waʻa ia hana lā I ke kai hānupanupa lā ʻAʻohe aʻu mea hopo lā I nāʻale o ke kai lā Hoʻi mai au i ka hale lā Nunui nā mikiʻai lā Kūʻonoʻono ʻo loko lā Pūkonakona ke kino lā Haʻina mai ka puana lā Eia mai au ʻo ka boy lā Aʻo Laupāhoehoe lā Kihikihi nā poʻohiwi lā | Here am I A boy of Laupāhoehoe Broad are my shoulders Husky is my body I don't mind climbing the hills Going down the slopes I go to the river For fresh water fish Canoe paddling I also do Over the rising waves I have no fears Of the bellows of the sea I come home And eat big fingers of poi Fill my insides well And keep my body husky This is the end of my story Here I am A boy of Laupāhoehoe With broad shoulders |
Source: In the late 1950's, as the composer was doing her housework, Laupāhoehoe, a little village on a tiny promontory hit by the tidal wave of April, 1946, stuck in her mind. A short time later, it came to her again, prompting her to call Mary Pukui who referred her to someone familiar with the place. Gaining insight, Irmgard called Mary Pukui again to tell her of what she had learned. Mary then wrote some lyrics about a boy from Laupāhoehoe, called Irmgard back, who immediately sat down, picked out the tune on her ukulele which came to her quickly and completed the song in a few minutes. This song, composed entirely on the phone, was recorded by Bill Kaiwa in 1963, and became an instant hit. Translation by Mary Pukui. ©1959-63 Criterion Music Corp Renewal 1987 | |