He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi
| English: Song of the Hawaiian Nation | |
|---|---|
 | |
National anthem of  Kingdom of Hawaii | |
| Lyrics | Lydia Kamakaʻeha Dominis |
| Music | Lydia Kamakaʻeha Dominis |
| Adopted | 1866 |
| Relinquished | 1876 |
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"He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi" ("Song of the Hawaiian Nation") was composed by Liliʻuokalani in November 1866 at the request of Kamehameha V, who wanted a national anthem to replace the British anthem "God Save the King". It replaced Lunalilo's composition "E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua" as the national anthem. Liliʻuokalani 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 the 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 Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī."[1]
Liliʻuokalani's memoir, Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, stated: "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." [2]
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, "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī", in 1876.[3]
| 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 naʻau haʻahaʻa | And seeks thy fostering care |
| E mau ka maluhia | Grant your peace throughout the land |
| O nei pae ʻāina | Over these sunny sea girt isles |
| Mai Hawaiʻi a Niʻihau | 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 ʻāina | 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 mōʻī | And upon our sovereign smile |
| E ka haku mālama mai | Guard him with your tender care |
| I ko mākou nei mōʻī | Give him length of years to reign |
| E mau kona noho ʻana | On the throne his fathers won |
| Maluna o ka noho aliʻi | Bless the nation once again |
| Hāʻawi mai i ke aloha | Give the king your loving grace |
| Maloko a kona naʻau | And with wisdom from on high |
| A ma kou ahonui | Prosperous lead his people on |
| E ola e ola ka mōʻī | As beneath your watchful eye |
| Hoʻoho e mau ke | Grant your peace throughout the land |
| Ma lalo o kou aloha nui | Bless O Lord our country's chiefs |
| Nā Liʻi o ke Aupuni | Grant them wisdom so to live |
| Me nā makaʻāinana | That our people may be saved |
| Ka lehulehu nō a pau | And to You the glory give |
| Kiaʻi 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 |
See also
References
- ^ Na Mele O Hawaiʻi Nei: 101 Hawaiian Songs by Samuel H. Elbert, Noelani Mahoe.Page 47
- ^ Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ Mele Lahui Hawaii