Kū Haʻaheo E Kuʻu Hawaiʻi

Kū Ha‘aheo E Ku‘u Hawai‘i

The refrain of this mele is “Kū haʻaheo, e kuʻu Hawaiʻi.” When we perform it, we are making a commitment. A pact to do just that, to stand proudly. This is a modern mele, written in contemporary times, but it calls back to mele and moʻolelo traditions of the past, because what we stand for when we chant these words is what we have always stood for as a people. The ʻāina and the lāhui.

This video was recorded on April 3rd, 2015, one day after the first arrests were made on the mauna, and the mele taught within brings strength to aloha ʻāina everywhere. Mele like these, like “I Kū Mau Mau,” like “Mele ʻAi Pōhaku,” bring us together and remind us to just keep paddling. We are making a difference. Join our voices together and hoe a mau, e ka lāhui, hoe a mau.

Mele Kū Ha‘aheo E Ku‘u Hawai‘i

Kaikoʻo ka moana kā i lana nei Hawaiʻi
Nāueue a halulu ka honua a Haumea
Nākulukulu e ka lani kiʻekiʻe kau mai i luna
Auē ke aloha ʻole a ka malihini

Ho‘ōho
Kū haʻaheo, e kuʻu Hawaiʻi
Māmakakaua o kuʻu ‘āina
‘O ke ehu kakahiaka o nā ‘ōiwi o Hawaiʻi nei
No kuʻu lāhui e hāʻawi pau a i ola mau

ʻAuhea wale ‘oukou pūʻali koa o Keawe
Me ko Kamalālāwalu lā me Kākuhihewa
Alu mai pualu mai me ko Manokalanipō
Kaʻi mai ana me nā kama a Kahelelani

E nāue i mua, e nā pōkiʻi, a e inu wai ‘awaʻawa
E wiwoʻole a hoʻokūpaʻa ‘aʻohe hope e hoʻi mai ai
A naʻi wale nō kākou kaukoe mau i ke ala
Auē ke aloha ‘ole a ka malihini

E lei mau i lei mau kākou, e nā mamo aloha
I lei wehi ‘aʻaliʻi wehi nani o kuʻu ‘āina
Hoe a mau hoe a mau no ka pono sivila
A hoʻihoʻi hou ‘ia mai ke kūʻokoʻa

Na Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu
25 Kepakemapa 2007