He Mele Lahui Hawaii
Encyclopedia
He Mele Lāhui Hawaii was composed in November 1866 at the request of Kamehameha V
Kamehameha V
aloghaKamehameha V , born as Lot Kapuāiwa, reigned as monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipa`a": immovable, firm, steadfast or determined; he worked diligently for his people and kingdom and was described as the last great traditional chief...
, who wanted a national anthem to replace the British anthem God Save the King. It replaced Lunalilo's composition E Ola Ke Alii Ke Akua
E Ola Ke Alii Ke Akua
E Ola Ke Alii Ke Akua, translated as God Save the King, was one of Hawaii's four national anthems. It was composed in 1860 by Prince William Charles Lunalilo, who later became King Lunalilo. Prior to 1860, the Kingdom of Hawaii lacked its own national anthem and had used the British royal anthem...
as the national anthem. Liliuokalani wrote: "The king was present for the purpose of Criticising my new composition of both words and music, and was liberal in his commendations to me on my success. He admired not only the beauty of music, but spoke enthusiastically of the appropriate words, so well adapted to the air and to the purpose for which they were written. This remained in use as our national anthem for some twenty years or more when my brother composed the words Hawaii Ponoī
Hawaii ponoi
Hawaii Ponoī is the state song and former national anthem of Hawaii. The words were written in 1874 by King David Kalākaua with music composed by Captain Henri Berger, then the king's royal bandmaster. Hawaii Ponoī was one of the national anthems of the Republic of Hawaii and the Kingdom of Hawaii,...
."
Liliuokalani's memoir, Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen is a book written by Queen Liliuokalani, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. It was published in 1898, five years after the overthrow of the Kingdom...
, states: "In the early years of the reign of Kamehameha V. he brought to my notice the fact that the Hawaiian people had no national air. Each nation, he said, but ours had its statement of patriotism and love of country in its own music; but we were using for that purpose on state occasions the time-honored British anthem, "God save the Queen."
By July 1867, the song was printed and was available for purchase in Honolulu, becoming the first of her compositions ever published. This decidedly Christian song served as the national anthem for ten years until her brother, by that time reigning as King Kalākaua, set it aside in favor of his own composition, Hawaii Ponoī, in 1876.
Ka Makua mana loa | Almighty Father bend thine ear |
Maliu mai iā mākou | And listen to a nation's prayer |
E hāliu aku nei | That lowly bows before thy throne |
Me ka naau haahaa | And seeks thy fostering care |
E mau ka maluhia | Grant your peace throughout the land |
O nei pae āina | Over these sunny sea girt isles |
Mai Hawaii a Niihau | Keep the nation's life, oh Lord, |
Ma lalo o kou malu | And on our sovereign smile |
Hui: | Chorus: |
E mau ke ea o ka āina | Grant your peace throughout the land |
Ma kou pono mau | Over these sunny isles |
A ma kou mana nui | Keep the nations life, oh Lord |
E ola e ola ka mōī | And upon our sovereign smile |
E ka haku mālama mai | Guard him with your tender care |
I ko mākou nei mōī | Give him length of years to reign |
E mau kona noho ana | On the throne his fathers won |
Maluna o ka noho alii | Bless the nation once again |
Hāawi mai i ke aloha | Give the king your loving grace |
Maloko a kona naau | And with wisdom from on high |
A ma kou ahonui | Prosperous lead his people on |
E ola e ola ka mōī | As beneath your watchful eye |
Hooho e mau ke | Grant your peace throughout the land |
Ma lalo o kou aloha nui | Bless O Lord our country's chiefs |
Nā Lii o ke Aupuni | Grant them wisdom so to live |
Me nā makaāinana | That our people may be saved |
Ka lehulehu nō a pau | And to You the glory give |
Kiai mai iā lākou | Watch over us day by day |
Me ke aloha ahonui | King and people with your love |
E ola nō mākou | For our hope is all in You |
I kou mana mau | Bless us, You who reign above |
E mau ke ea | Grant your peace throughout the land |
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