Audio clips courtesy of the UH Hilo LOHE Lab. Mahalo!
ʻO Ka Lele A Nei ʻĀuna
Na ka hui ʻo ʻĀhuimanu, nā poʻe o Hawaiʻi nāna i haku
Lawe aloha ʻia ke ʻano o ka hoʻonohonoho mele ʻana mai ke Kumulipo
(format lovingly borrowed from the Kumulipo)
Na Kekuhi Kealiʻikanakaʻoleohailillani i paka
ʻO ka lele a nei ʻāuna
The flying of this flock
ʻO kaha, ka‘i a lālani
Gliding, forming a line
ʻO ho‘onohonoho a pa‘a
Firmly establishing residency
Pa‘a ka ʻāina o Hawaiʻi Kuauli
The verdant uplands of Hawaiʻi are established
ʻO Hualau ka makua
Hualau is the parent
Puka kāna keiki he manu ʻāina, lele!
Their child emerges, a terrestrial bird, it flies!
Hānau ka ʻAkikiki… kani!
The ʻAkikiki is born… it resounds!
kikikikiki chu
Kiaʻi ʻia e ka ʻŪkīki noho i kai
Accompanied by the ʻŪkīki which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa i ka ʻUmikoa noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the ʻUmikoa which dwells inland
ʻO ka ʻAkikiki ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The ʻAkikiki flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
Hānau ka ʻAnianiau… kani!
The ʻAnianiau is born… it resounds!
Niʻī! Niʻī!
Kiaʻi ʻia e ka Naka noho i kai,
Accompanied by the Naka which dwells at sea,
Ola a mau loa I ke Koʻokoʻolau noho i uka,
Healthy and ever enduring through the Koʻokoʻolau which dwells inland
ʻO ka ʻAnianiau ʻāuna lele a paʻa, paʻahia
The ʻAnianiau flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
ʻO wai ke kia o ka waʻa o Makaliʻi?
Who is the mast of the canoe of Makaliʻi?
ʻO ka ʻAkiapōlāʻau ke kia
The ʻAkiapōlāʻau is the mast
Chanter’s note: there is no audience kani for the ʻakiapōlāʻau in the oli. However, we have included the voice of the ʻakiapōlāʻau here. Please keep their call in your heart and mind as you join in this verse lifting up this bird.
Kiaʻi ʻia e ka ʻIna noho i kai
Accompanied by the ʻIna which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa i ke Koa noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the Koa which dwells inland
ʻO ka ʻAkiapōlāʻau ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The ʻAkiapōlāʻau flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
Hānau ka ʻApapane… kani!
The ʻApapane is born… it resounds!
Ahh-pah-pane pane pane pane
Kiaʻi ʻia e ke Kūmū noho i kai
Accompanied by the Kūmū which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa i ka ʻŌhiʻaʻapapane noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the ʻŌhiʻaʻapapane which dwells inland
ʻO ka ʻApapane ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The ʻApapane flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
Hānau ka ʻIʻiwi… kani!
The ʻIʻiwi is born… it resounds!
err-ee-ee err-ee-ee
Kiaʻi ʻia e ka Nukuʻiʻiwi noho i kai
Accompanied by the Nukuʻiʻiwi which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa i ka ʻOhawai a me ka Hāhā noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the ʻŌhāwai and the Hāhā which dwell inland
ʻO ka ʻIʻiwi ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The ʻIʻiwi flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
Hānau ka ʻĀkohekohe… kani!
The ʻĀkohekohe is born… it resounds!
kohe kohe [chong chong – say like you have food in your mouth]
Kiaʻi ʻia e ka Laenihi noho i kai
Accompanied by the Laenihi which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa i ke Kohekohe noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the Kohekohe which dwells inland
ʻO ka ʻĀkohekohe ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The ʻĀkohekohe flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
Hānau ke Akekeʻe… kani!
The Akekeʻe is born… it resounds!
kekekekekekeke
Kiaʻi ʻia e ke Kekeʻe noho i kai,
Accompanied by the Kekeʻe which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa i ka Poʻaʻaha noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the Poʻaʻaha which dwells inland
ʻO ke Akekeʻe ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The Akekeʻe flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
Hānau ka ʻĀkepa… kani!
The ʻĀkepa is born… it resounds!
key da lee key da lee (high pitch); kīkalī kīkalī
Kiaʻi ʻia e ka ʻĀweoweo noho i kai
Accompanied by the ʻĀweoweo which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa i ka ʻĀweoweo noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the ʻĀweoweo which dwells inland
ʻO ka ʻĀkepa ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The ʻĀkepa flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
Hānau ke Kūkuluaeʻo… kani!
The Kūkuluaeʻo is born… it resounds!
Kē! Kē! Kē! Kē! Kē! | “Kū! Kē! Kē! Kē!
Kiaʻi ʻia e ka ʻAha noho I kai,
Accompanied by the ʻAha which dwells at sea
Ola a mau loa I ke Kūkuluaeʻo noho i uka
Healthy and ever enduring through the Kūkuluaeʻo which dwells inland
ʻO ke Aeʻo ʻāuna lele a paʻa… paʻahia!
The Aeʻo flies in droves everlasting… They are secured!
ʻO nā manu lele ʻāuna,
The birds flying together
Mai Kanaloa a i kahakai
From the sea to the shore
Mai kahakai a i ke alo o ka mauna,
From the shore to the face of the mountain,
Ua AKUA
They are AKUA
Ua Ola
They Live
Ola pāpālua
They truly live
Ola kānaka i ka lāhui manu…
Humans shall survive because of the birds
A maumau ea
They shall forever live
A maumau ea
They shall forever live
ʻĪ e holo ē!
It is spoken and goes forth!
