Maunawili - Traditional

 
Haʻalele mākou ia Honolulu
I ka hapaha o ka hola ʻekolu

Haʻawi ke aloha lulu lima
Me na huapala o ka E.S.

A uka mākou o Haukama
Pa ana ke ʻala o ka ʻawapuhi

A uka mākou o Nuʻuanu
Huli aku nanā ia Koʻolau

Alawa i ka wai o Silo Sia
I ka neʻe mālie i ke alo pali

ʻEwalu mākou i ʻalo aku
Ma nei kula loa o Maunawili

A lalo mākou o Maunawili
Pā ana ka makani wili ʻahihi

ʻĀina maikaʻi o Maunawili
Hoʻokahi no hewa he ulua ʻole

Hoʻokahi no ulua o ka makika
I ka uwehonehone i ke aumoe

Ke hulu hoʻi nei mākou
E ʻike i ka nani o ka kaona

Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana
ʻEwalu mākou i ʻalo aku

We left Honolulu
At a quarter of three

We gave our love and shook hands
With the girl friends of E.S.

As we went up to Haukama
We smelled the fragrance of ginger

Approaching Nu`uanu Pali
We turned to view the Ko`olau

We saw the waters of Kilo Wahine
As we made our way slowly on the face of the cliff

Eight of us made the long trip
On the plains of Maunawili

Descending to Maunawili
The wind swirled the ʻahihi around us

Maunawili is a good land
With only one fault, no mates

There is only one kind of ulua
The mosquitos that whine at night

Now we go home and turn
To see the beauty of the town

Tell the refrain
Eight of us made the trip

Source: This mele relates the adventures of eight young men from Maunawili, a district on the windward side of Oʻahu, who came to Honolulu in search of girl friends. E.S. is the abbreviation for the English School, now known as St. Andrew's Priory. Silo Sia is a corruption of Kilo Wahine, a pool at Nuʻuanu Pali. Ulua in verse 8 means eligible mates.