|
KA ULUWEHI O KE KAI Written and translated by Edith Kanaka`ole From her LP: Hi'ipoi I Ka 'Âina Aloha He ho`oheno ke `ike aku Ke kai moana nui la Nui ke aloha e hi`ipoi nei Me ke `ala o ka lîpoa
He lîpoa i pae i ke one Ke one hinuhinu la Wela i ka lâ ke hehi `a`e Mai mana`o he pono kêia!
Ho`okohukohu e ka limu kohu Ke kau i luna ô nâ moku la `O la maku `ula la e hô `Oni ana i `ôi `anei
Ha`ina mai puana Ka lîpoa me ka limu kohu Hoapili `oe me ka pâhe`e `Ânoni me ke lîpalu
|
|
kaona [kao' nah] "hidden meaning, as in Hawaiian poetry; concealed reference, often using words with double meanings" The inclusion of "Ka Uluwehi o ke Kai" was prompted by messages about its kaona on the alt.music.hawaii newsgroup. Mahalo to those who contributed to this fascinating thread. Here are excerpts of messages on this song:Subject: Re: Lei Day with the Caz ...The Best Part! THE Special Guest wasKEKUHI KANAHELE!!! * (Ho, those Brothers Caz--they care enough to get the very best for May Day, yeah?) Kekuhi danced the most no-holds-barred hula, no doubt about the kaona version of "Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai." (With Robert commenting, "Now THAT's a HILO GIRL!") The crowd went nuts. Then she sang 3 songs, "Pua Milo," "Don't Cry'Oe," and a new one, whose kaona about small things making a big impact was thoroughly discussed. (Ouch, cheeks in pain again!) That is one awesome woman! ... *Kekuhi Kanahele is the granddaughter of the composer of this song, Aunty Edith Kanaka`ole. Date: 4 May From: BW Help the naivehaole (Caucasian) guy: I've been singin' this song for years... Have never seen the hula... And have no idea what the kaona in this song could possibly be. (I'm rummaging through the lyrics in my head as I write this, and I am again at a loss.) Somebody enlighten this eager student, please? (Aunty Edith wrote this number in the recording studio when she was told that her album was going to run short. I thought it amazing that she could come up with something that fast. I had no idea that it was fast AND clever!) Date: 04 May From: JB The surface story is about how wonderful it is to go to the ocean to pick all different kinds oflimu (seaweed). There are mentions of the fragrance of a mound of brown limu on the sand, how hot it is, how the thoughts are not exactly pono (proper) about another kind of limu, red kine, above the islands, transferring from one place to another, moving and swaying. The haina has to do with mixing a slippery green limu with a grey-black, slimy, fuzzy one. Hope that helps. Date: 04 May From: AM <blush!>lauhala fan (a plaited fan made from leaves from the hala tree) when I really need it??????? <g> Date: 4 May From: BW Clear as a bell! <feeling stupid and helping AM fan herself...> Date: 04 May From: JB So, wot--saved you guys about 50-cents on your power bill? HA! Date: 04 May From: LMH > > "He lipoa i pae i ke one Here's Aunty Edith's own translation of that verse (surface level only, you're on your own for thekaona) from her LP "Hi'ipoi I Ka 'Âina Aloha" (Like a Child, Tend, Feed, Cherish the Beloved Land): It is lîpoa which washes ashore Mâlama pono(Take care). Date: 04 May From: JB Oh, wow! It's on the LP! Worth hunting for. Date: 07 May The translations are also on the firstHapa (Part) CD. Date: 07 May Someone told me that"Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai" was written by Aunty Edith in 1978, only 20 years ago. Is this true? Date: 07 May Yep! Just as with Aunty Alice Namakelua, it apparently took a long time to get her into the studio. Fortunately, somebody (Don McDiarmid, perhaps?) convinced her to do an album - which then became two albums. "Hi'ipoi I Ka 'Aina Aloha"was recorded in '78, and "Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai" was written in the studio when they told Aunty that she had running time left on the record. Date: 07 May From: PC Aloha e J: I love thiskolohe (naughty) song! I was told that the picking of limu (seaweed) is compared to the picking of a lover. Very, very delicate and teasing like. Lotta eye brow lifting in this routine! `Auê! Mâlama pono(Take care), P Date: 07 May From: JB Uh---Kekuhi was lifting more than her eyebrows!`Auê noho'i ! <g>
|
For those in further search of kaona: Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai He ho`oheno ke `ike aku (a) ho`oheno (cherishing, love, caressing; affection, demonstration of affection; expression of affection, as a song Ke kai moana nui la Nui ke aloha e hi`ipoi nei Me ke `ala o ka lîpoa He lîpoa i pae i ke one Ke one hinuhinu la Wela i ka lâ ke hehi a`e Mai mana`o he pono kêia! Ho`okohukohu e ka limu kohu Ke kau i luna o nâ moku la `O la maku `ula la e hô `Oni ana i `ôi `anei Ha`ina mai ka puana Ka lîpoa me ka limu kohu Hoapili `oe me ka pâhe`e `Ânoni me ke lîpalu Source: |
5-8-98
You are at: http://hawaiianlanguage.com. |