Kaulana Na Pua

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Kaulana Nā Pua (literally, "Famous are the flowers") is a Hawaiian patriotic song written by Ellen Kehoʻohiwaokalani Wright Prendergast in 1893 to protest the overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani. The song is also known under the title of Mele ʻAi Pōhaku, the Stone-Eating Song, or Mele Aloha ʻĀina, the Patriot's Song. It is still popular in Hawaiʻi today, although it is not clear how many non-Hawaiian speaking listeners are aware of the song's historical significance or the profound antipathy to U.S. annexation in its words. The song could be viewed as an act of subterfuge, since to the non-Hawaiian speaking listeners the lively melody gives no hint of the anger of the lyrics.

According to Elbert and Mahoe (1970), "The song was considered sacred and not for dancing." However, today hula halau perform Kaulana Nā Pua as a hula auana for makuahine (a graceful dance for mature women).

The Hawaiian lyrics, with one English translation of them, are:

Kaulana nā pua aʻo Hawaiʻi Kūpaʻa mahope o ka ʻāina Hiki mai ka ʻelele o ka loko ʻino Palapala ʻānunu me ka pākaha	Famous are the children of Hawaiʻi Ever loyal to the land When the evil-hearted messenger comes With his greedy document of extortion
Pane mai Hawaiʻi moku o Keawe        Kōkua nā Hono aʻo Piʻilani Kākoʻo mai Kauaʻi o Mano Paʻapū me ke one Kākuhihewa	Hawaiʻi, land of Keawe answers Piʻilani's bays help Mano's Kauaʻi lends support And so do the sands of Kakuhihewa
ʻAʻole aʻe kau i ka pūlima Maluna o ka pepa o ka ʻenemi Hoʻohui ʻāina kūʻai hewa I ka pono sivila aʻo ke kanaka	No one will fix a signature To the paper of the enemy With its sin of annexation And sale of native civil rights
ʻAʻole mākou aʻe minamina I ka puʻukālā a ke aupuni Ua lawa mākou i ka pōhaku I ka ʻai kamahaʻo o ka ʻāina	We do not value The government's hills of money We are satisfied with the rocks The wondrous food of the land
Mahope mākou o Liliʻulani A loaʻa e ka pono o ka ʻāina     [alternate stanza:      A kau hou ʻia e ke kalaunu] Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana Ka poʻe i aloha i ka ʻāina	We back Liliʻulani Who has won the rights of the land     [alternate stanza:      She will be crowned again] Tell the story Of the people who love their land

The "government" referred to in the song is the Provisional Government of Hawaii proclaimed by the conspirators upon seizing power. Mrs. Prendergast composed the song for the Royal Hawaiian Band, who:

… had just walked out on their jobs after the bandmaster demanded they sign an oath of loyalty to the Provisional Government… . The bandmaster said they had better sign or they would be eating rocks. It is obvious that they meant it was not right to sell one’s country or loyalty to one's country for money. If we hold onto the land, the land will always feed us. … [L]and endures. [1]

—Noenoe Silva, assistant professor in political science, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, in Honolulu Weekly

The Hawaiian Renaissance has lent the song Kaulana Nā Pua renewed significance in recent years. Its words are often cited in the context of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement as an expression of opposition to U.S. rule.

[edit] References

• Elbert, Samuel H. and Noelani Mahoe, "Nā Mele o Hawaiʻi Nei, 101 Hawaiian Songs", University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1970, ISBN 0-87022-219-8

• Liliuokalani, "Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen", Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, 1964