Mele no ka Hula Alá’a-papa

MAHELE-HELE I

PAUKU I

A Koolau wau, ike i ka ua,
E ko-kolo la-lepo ana ka ua,
E ka’i ku ana, ka’i mai ana ka ua,
E nu mai ana ka ua i ke kuahiwi,
E po’i ana ka ua me he nalu la.
E puka, a puka mai ka ua la.
Waliwali ke one i ka hehi’a e ka ua;
Ua holo-wai na kaha-wai;
Ua ko-ká wale na pali.
Aia ka wai la i ka ilina, he ilio,
He ilio hae, ke nahu nei e puka.

[Translation]

Song for the Hula Alá’a-papa.

CANTO I

STANZA 1

’Twas in Koolau I met with the rain:
It comes with lifting and tossing of dust,
Advancing in columns, dashing along.
The rain, it sighs in the forest;
The rain, it beats and whelms, like the surf;
It smites, it smites now the land.
Pasty the earth from the stamping rain;
Full run the streams, a rushing flood;
The mountain walls leap with the rain.
See the water climbing its bounds like a dog,
A raging dog, gnawing its way to pass out.

This song is from the story of Hiiaka on her journey to Kauai to bring the handsome prince, Lohiau, to Pele. The region is that on the windward, Koolau, side of Oahu.

PAUKU 2

Hoopono oe, he aina kai Waialua i ka hau;
Ke olelo wale no la i ka lani.Lohe ka uka o ka pehu i Ku-kani-loko.
I-loko, i-waho kaua la, e ka hoa,
I kahi e pau ai o ka oni?
Oni ana i ka manawa o ka lili,
Pee oe, pee ana iloko o ka hilahila.
I hilahila wale ia no e oe;
Nou no ka hale, komo mai maloko.

[Translation]

STANZA 2

Look now, Waialua, land clothed with ocean-mist–
Its wilderness-cries heaven’s ear only hears,
The wilderness-gods of Ku-kani-loko.
Within or without shall we stay, friend,
Until we have stilled the motion?
To toss is a sign of impatience.
You hide, hiding as if from shame.
I am bashful because of your presence:
The house is yours, you’ve only to enter.

PAUKU 3

(Ko’i-honua)

Pakú Kea-au lulu, Wai-akea; Noho i ka la’i loa o Hana-kahi, 
O Hilo, i olokea ia, i au la, e, i kai,
O Lele-iwi, o Maka-hana-loa.
Me he kaele-papa la Hilo, i lalo ka noho.
Kaele wale Hilo i ke alai ia e ka ua.
Oi ka niho o ka ua o Hilo i ka lani;
Kua-wa’a-wa’a Hilo i eli ’a e ka wai;
Kai-koo, haki na nalu, ka ua o Hilo;
Ha’i lau-wili mai ka nahele.
Nanalu, kahe waikahe o Wai-luku;
Hohonu Waiau, nalo ke poo o ka lae o Moku-pane;
Wai ulaula o Wai-anue-nue;
Ka-wowo nui i ka wai o Kolo-pule-pule;
Halulu i ha-ku’i, ku me he uahi la
Ka puá o ka wai ua o-aka i ka lani.
Eleele Hilo e, pano e, i ka ua;
Okakala ka hulu o Hilo i ke anu;
Pili-kau mai Hilo ia ua loa.
Pali-ku laau ka uka o Haili,
Ka lae ohi’a e kope-kope,
Me he aha moa la, ka pale pa laau,
Ka nahele o Pa-ie-ie,
Ku’u po’e lehua iwaena konu o Mo-kau-lele,
Me ka ha’i laau i pu-kaula hala’i i ka ua.
Ke nana ia la e la’i i Hanakahi.
Oni aku Hilo, oni ku’u kai lipo-lipo,
A Lele-iwi, ku’u kai ahu mimiki a ka Malua.
Lei kahiko, lei nalu ka poai.
30 Nana Pu’u-eo, e! makai ka iwi-honua, e!
Puna-hoa la, ino, ku, ku wan a Wai-akea la.

[Translation]

STANZA 3

Kea-au shelters, Waiakea lies in the calm,
The deep peace of King Hana-kahi.
Hilo, of many diversions, swims in the ocean,
Between Point Lele-iwi and Maka-hana-loa;
And the village rests in the bowl,
Its border surrounded with rain,
Sharp from the sky the tooth of Hilo’s rain.
Trenched is the land, scooped out by the downpour,
Tossed and like gnawing surf is Hilo’s rain,
Beach strewn with a tangle or thicket growth;
A billowy freshet pours in Wailuku;
Swollen is Wai-au, flooding the point Moku-pane;
And red leaps the water of Anue-nue.
A roar to heaven sends up Kolo-pule,
Shaking like thunder, mist rising like smoke.
The rain-cloud unfolds in the heavens;
Dark grows Hilo, black with the rain.
The skirt of Hilo grows rough from the cold;
The storm-cloud hangs low o’er the land.
A rampart stand the woods of Haili;
Ohi’as thick-set must be brushed aside,
To tear one’s way, like a covey, of fowl,
In the wilds of Pa-ie-ie,
Lehua growths mine heart of Mokau-lele.
A breaking, a weaving of boughs, to shield from rain;
A look enraptured on Hana-kahi,
Sees Hilo astir, the blue ocean tossing
Wind-thrown-spray–dear sea–’gainst Point Lele-iwi–
A flute-worn foam-wreath to encircle its brow.
Look, Pu’u-eo! guard ’gainst the earth-rib!
It’s Puna-hoa reef; halt!
At Waiakea halt!

PAUKU 4

(Ai-ha’ a)

Kua loloa Kea-au i ka nahele;
Hala kua lulu-hulu Pana-ewa i ka laau;
Inoino ka maha o ka ohia o La’a.
Ua ku kepakepa ka maha o ka lehua;
Ua po-po’o-hina i ka wela a ke Akua.
Ua u-ahi Puna i ka oloka’a pohaku,
I ka huna pa’a ia e ka wahine.
Nanahu ahi ka papa o Olu-ea;
Momoku ahi Puna hala i Apua;
Ulu-á ka nahele me ka laau.
Oloka’a kekahi ko’i e Papa-lau-ahi;
I eli ’a kahi ko’i e Ku-lili-kaua.
Kai-ahea a hala i Ka-li’u;
A eu e, e ka La, ka malama-lama.
O-na-naka ka piko o Hilo ua me ke one,
I huli i uka la, i hulihia i kai;
Ua wa-wahi ’a, ua na-ha-há,
Ua he-hele-lei!

[Translation]

STANZA 4

Ke’-au is a long strip of wildwood;
Shag of pandamus mantles Pan’-ewa;
Scraggy the branching of Laa’s ohias;
The lehua limbs at sixes and sevens,
They are gray from the heat of the goddess.
Puna smokes mid the bowling of rocks,
Wood and rock the She-god heaps in confusion,
The plain Oluea’s one bed of live coals;
Puna is strewn with fires clean to Apua,
Thickets and tall trees a-blazing.
Sweep on, oh fire-ax, thy flame-shooting flood!
Smit by this ax is Ku-lili-kaua.
It’s a flood tide of lava clean to Kali’u,
And the Sun, the light-giver, is conquered.
The bones of wet Hilo rattle from drought;
She turns for comfort to mountain, to sea.
Fissured and broken, resolved into dust.

 

PAUKU 5

No-luna ka Hale-kai, no ka ma’a-lewa,
Nana ka maka ia Moana-nui-ka-lehua.
Noi au i ke Kai, e mali’o.
Ina ku a’e la he lehua ilaila!
Hopoe-lehua kiekie.
Maka’u ka lehua i ke kanáka, Lilo ilalo e hele ai, e-e,
A ilalo hoi.
O Kea-au ili-ili nehe ke kai,
Hoo-lono ke kai o Puna
I ka ulu hala la, e-e,
Kai-ko’o Puna.
Ia hooneenee ia pili mai kaua, e ke hoa.
Ke waiho e mai la oe ilaila.
Eia ka mea ino la, he anu,
A he anu me he mea la iwaho kaua, e ke hoa;
Me he wai la ko kaua ili.

[Translation]

STANZA 5

From mountain retreat and root-woven ladder
Mine eye looks down on goddess Moana-Lehua;
I beg of the Sea, Be thou calm;
Would there might stand on thy shore a lehua,
Lehua-tree tall of Ho-poe.
The Lehua is fearful of man;
It leaves him to walk on the ground below,
To walk the ground far below.
The pebbles at Ke’-au grind in the surf.
The sea at Ke’-au shouts to Puna’s palms,
“Fierce is the sea of Puna.”
Move hither, snug close, companion mine;
You lie so aloof over there.
Oh what a bad fellow is cold!
’Tis as if we were out on the wold;
Our bodies so clammy and chill, friend!

 

MAHELE-HELE II

Hi’u-o-lani, kii ka ua o Hilo i ka lani;
Ke hookiikii mai la ke ao o Pua-lani;
O mahele ana, pule Hilo i ka ua,
O Hilo Hana-kahi.
Ke hookiikii mai la ke ao o Pua-lani,
Ha’i ka nalu, wai kaka lepo o Pii-lani;Hai’na ka iwi o Hilo,
I ke ku ia e ka wai.
Oni’o lele a ka ua o Hilo i ka lani.

Ke holuholu a’e la e puke,
Puke e nana ke kiki a ka ua,
Ka nonoho a ka ua i ka hale o Hilo.                                                                                                       Like Hilo me Puna ke ku a mauna-ole,                                                                                                 He ole ke ku a mauna Hilo me Puna.
He kowa Puna mawaena Hilo me Ka-ú;
Ke pili wale la i ke kua i mauna-ole;
Pili hoohaha i ke kua o Mauna-loa.

He kuahiwi Ka-ú e pa ka makani.
Ke alai ia a’e la Ka-ú e ke A’e;                                                                                                                   Na-u ku ke ehu lepo ke A’e;
Ku ke ehu-lepo mai la Ka-ú i ka makani.
Makani Kawa hu’a-lepo Ka-ú i ke A’-e.

Kahiko mau no o Ka-ú i ka makani.                                                                                               Makani ka Lae-ka-ilio i Unu-lau,
Kaili-ki’i a ka lua a Kaheahea, I ka ha’a nawali ia ino.

Ino wa o ka makani o Kau-na.
Nana aku o ka makani ma malaila!
O Hono-malino, malino i ka la’i o Kona.
He inoa la!

[Translation]

CANTO II

Heaven magic, fetch a Hilo-pour from heaven!
The morning’s cloud-buds, look! they swell in the East.
The rain-cloud parts. Hilo is deluged with rain,
The Hilo of King Hana-kahi.Surf breaks, stirs the mire of Pii-lani;
The bones of Hilo are broken
By the blows of the rain.
Ghostly the rain-scud of Hilo in heaven;

The cloud-forms of Pua-lani grow and thicken.
The rain-priest bestirs him now to go forth,
Forth to observe the stab and thrust of the rain.
The rain that clings to the roof of Hilo.

Hilo, like Puna, stands mountainless;
Aye, mountain-free stand Hilo and Puna.
15 Puna ’s a gulf ’twixt Ka-ú and Hilo:
Just leaning her back on Mount Nothing.
She sleeps at the feet of Mount Loa.

A mountain-back is Ka-ú which the wind strikes,
Ka-ú, a land much scourged by the A’e.
A dust-cloud lifts in Ka-ú as one climbs.
A dust-bloom floats, the lift of the wind:
’Tis blasts from fountain-walls piles dust, the A’e.

Ka-ú was always tormented with wind.
Cape-of-the-Dog feels Unulau’s blasts;
They turmoil the cove of Ka-hea-hea,
Defying all strength with their violence.

There’s a storm when wind blows at Kau-na.
Just look at the tempest there raging!
Hono-malino sleeps sheltered by Kona.
A eulogy this of a name.

 

MAHELE III

(A i-ha’a)

A Koa’e-kea, i Pueo-hulu-nui,
Neeu a’e la ka makahiapo o ka pali;
A a’e, a a’e, a’e la iluna
Kaholo-kua-iwa, ka pali o Ha’i.
Ha’i a’e la ka pali;
Ha-nu’u ka pali;
Hala e Malu-ó;
Hala a’e la Ka-maha-la’a-wili,
Ke kaupoku hale a ka ua.
Me he mea i uwae’na a’e la ka pali;
Me he hale pi’o ka lei na ka manawa o ka pali Halehale-o-ú;
Me he aho i hilo ’a la ka wai o Wai-hi-lau;
Me he uahi pulehu-manu la ke kai o ka auwala hula ana.
Au ana Maka’u-kiu iloko o ke kai;
Pohaku lele o Lau-nui, Lau-pahoehoe.
Ka eku’na a ke kai i ka ala o Ka-wai-kapu–
Eku ana, me he pua’a la, ka lae Makani-lele,
Koho-lá-lele.

[Translation]

CANTO III

Haunt of white tropic-bird and big ruffled owl,
Up rises the first-born child of the pali.
He climbs, he climbs, he climbs up aloft,
Kaholo-ku’-iwa, the pali of Ha’i.
Accomplished now is the steep,
The ladder-like series of steps.
Malu-ó is left far below.

Passed is Ka-maha-la’-wili,
The very ridge-pole of the rain–
It’s as if the peak cut it in twain–
An arched roof the peak’s crest Hale-hale-o-ú.
A twisted cord hangs the brook Wai-hilau;
Like smoke from roasting bird Ocean’s wild dance;
The shark-god is swimming the sea;
The rocks leap down at Big-leaf and Flat-leaf,
See the ocean charge ’gainst the cliffs,
Thrust snout like rooting boar against Windy-cape,
Against Koholá-lele.

MAHELE IV

Hole Waimea i ka ihe a ka makani,
Hao mai na ale a ke Ki-pu’u-pu’u;
He luau kala-ihi ia na ke anu,
I o’o i ka nahele o Mahiki.
Ku aku la oe i ka Malanai a ke Ki-puu-puu;
Nolu ka maka o ka oha-wai o Uli;
Niniau, eha ka pua o Koaie,
Eha i ke anu ka nahele o Wai-ka-é,
A he aloha, e!
Aloha Wai-ká ia’u me he ipo la;
Me he ipo la ka maka lena o ke Koo-lau,
Ka pua i ka nahele o Mahule-i-a,
E lei hele i ke alo o Moo-lau.
E lau lea huaka’i-hele i ka pali loa;
Hele hihiu, pili, noho i ka nahele.
O ku’u noho wale iho no i kahua, e-e.
A he aloha, e-e!
O kou aloha ka i hiki mai i o’u nei.
Mahea la ia i nalo iho nei?

 

[Translation]

Song–Hole Waimea

PART IV

Love tousled Waimea with shafts of the wind,
While Kipuupuu puffed jealous gusts.
Love is a tree that blights in the cold,
But thrives in the woods of Mahiki.
Smitten art thou with the blows of love;
Luscious the water-drip in the wilds;
Wearied and bruised is the flower of Koaie;
Stung by the frost the herbage of Wai-ka-é,:
And this– it is love.
Wai-ka loves me like a sweetheart.
Dear as my heart Koolau’s yellow eye,
My flower in the tangled wood, Hule-ī-a,
A travel-wreath to lay on love’s breast,
A shade to cover my journey’s long climb.
Love-touched, distraught, mine a wilderness-home;
But still do I cherish the old spot,
For love– it is love.
Your love visits me even here:
Where has it been hiding till now?

PAUKU 2

Kau ka ha-é-a, kau o ka hana wa ele,
Ke ala-ula ka makani,
Kulu a e ka ua i kou wahi moe.
Palepale i na auwai o lalo;
Eli mawaho o ka hale o Koolau, e.
E lau Koolau, he aina ko’e-ko’e;
Maka’u i ke anu ha uka o ka Lahuloa.
Loa ia mea, na’u i waiho aku ai.

 

[Translation]

STANZA 2

A mackerel sky, time for foul weather;
The wind raises the dust–
Thy couch is a-drip with the rain:
Open the door, let’s trench about the house:
Koolau, land of rain, will shoot green leaves.
I dread the cold of the uplands.
An adventure that of long ago.

PAUKU 3

Hoe Puna i ka wa’a po-lolo’ a ha ino;
Ha-uke-uke i ha wa o Koolau:
Eha e! eha la!
Eha i ku’i-ku’i o ha Ulu-mano.
Hala ’e ka walu-ihe a ke A’e,
Ku iho i ku’i-ku’i a ka Ho-li’o;
Hana ne’e ke kikala o ko Hilo Kini.
Ho’i lu’u-lu’u i ke one o Hana-kahi.
I ka po-lolo’ ua wahine o ka lua:
Mai ka lua no, e!

[Translation]

STANZA 3

Puna plies paddle night-long in the storm;
Is set back by a shift in the weather,
Feels hurt and disgruntled;
Dismayed at slap after slap of the squalls:
Is struck with eight blows of Typhoon;
Then smit with the lash of the North wind.
Sad, he turns back to Hilo’s sand-beach:
He’ll shake the town with a scandal–
The night-long storm with the hag of the pit,
Hag from Gehenna!

This is not a line-for-line translation; that the author found infeasible. Line 8 of the English represents line 7 of the Hawaiian. Given more literally, it might be, “He’ll shake the buttocks of Hilo’s forty thousand.”

The metaphor of this song is disjointed, but hot with the primeval passions of humanity.

PAUKU 4

Ho-ina-inau mea ipo i ka nahele;
Haa-kokoe ana ka maka i ka Moani,
I ka ike i na pua i hoomahie ’luna;
Ua hi-hi-hina wale i ka moe awakea.
Ka ino’ ua poina ia Mali’o.
Aia ka i Pua-lei o Ha’o.
I Puna no ka waihona o ka makani;
Kaela ka malama ana a ka Pu’u-lena,
I kaki mea ho-aloha-loha, e!
E aloha, e!

[Translation]

STANZA 4

Love is at play in the grove,
A jealous swain glares fierce
At the flowers tying love-knots,
Lying wilted at noon-tide.
So you’ve forgotten Mali’o,
Turned to the flower of Puna–
Puna, the cave of shifty winds.
Long have I cherished this blossom,
A treasure hid in my heart!
Oh, sweetheart!