Chants - Kihei Canoe Club

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E HŌ MAI
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E hō mai
Ka `ike mai luna mai e
Grant us the knowledge from above
`O na mea huna no`eau
`O na mele e
Concerning all the wisdom of songs
E hō mai,
E hō mai,
E hō mai
Grant, grant, grant us these things

E ALA E
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E ALA E
E ALA E
KA LA I KA HIKINA
Awake, the sun is in the east
I KA MOANA
KA MOANA HOU HONU
At the ocean, the deep ocean
PI`I KA LEWA
KA LEWA NU`U
Climb to the heavens, highest heaven
I KA HIKINA
AE A KA LA
E ALA E
In the east, there is the sun, arise, awake

I KU MAU MAU^*
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ONE: I KU MAU MAU!

ALL: I KU WA!

ONE: I KU MAU MAU
I KU HULU HULU
I KA LANAWAO!

ALL: I KU WA!

ONE: I KU LANAWAO!

ALL: I KU WA!
I KU WA HUKI!
I KU WA KO!
I KU WA A MAU!
A MAU KA EULU!
E HUKI E!
KULIA!

ONE: STAND UP IN COUPLES!

ALL: STAND IN INTERVALS!

ONE: STAND IN COUPLES!
HAUL WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!
UNDER THE MIGHTY TREES!

ALL: STAND IN INTERVALS!

ONE: STAND UP AMONG THE TALL
FOREST TREES!

ALL: STAND AT INTERVALS!
STAND AT INTERVALS! AND PULL!
STAND AT INTERVALS! AND HAUL!
STAND IN PLACE! AND HAUL!
HAUL BRANCHES AND ALL!
HAUL NOW!
STAND UP MY HEARTIES!
HOLD YOUR BREATH NOW!
IT MOVES, THE GOD BEGINS TO RUN!

^* The above chant is an ancient chant which was used by our ancestors. It was also used by KCC members in the upland forests of Maui as we pulled out the koa log which then became our koa canoe, Ku Koa Manutea. This chant carries a lot of mana and provides spiritual uplifting. Today, we continue to chant E Ku Mau Mau with an understanding of kaona (“hidden, double meaning”). Although we are no longer in the forest of the uplands, this chant still brings us together and asks us to work together to accomplish our goals.

IA WA`A NUI^*
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Ia wa'a nui
Ia wa'a kioloa
Ia wa'a peleleu
A lele mamala
A manu a uka
A manu a kai
'I'iwi polena
A kau ka hoku
A kau i ka malama
A pae i kula
'Amama, ua noa

That large canoe
That long (shapely) canoe
That broad canoe
Let chips fly
The bird of the upland (mountain)
The bird of the lowland (sea)
The red Honeycreeper *
The stars hang above
The daylight arrives
Bring [the canoe] ashore
'Amama – the kapu (taboo) is lifted

This traditional chant was used at the launching of Hokule'a on March 8, 1975. After the canoe was launched, it was paddled out, then back to shore. As the canoe approached shore, the crew paddled to the chant.

The chant is slow – the paddle is struck a little in front of the paddler on the return stroke. The timing is: Ia wa'a [thump] nui [thump]; ia wa'a [thump] kioloa [thump], ia wa'a [thump] peleleu [thump]. ...

And, after the canoe landed and the kapu on it was lifted, the kahuna asked: "Pehea ka wa'a, pono anei?" ("How is the canoe? Is it good?") ... And the paddlers responded, " 'Ae, maika'I loa ka wa'a Hokule'a." ("Yes, the canoe is very good indeed!" )

^* The red Honeycreeper is a native Hawaiian bird ... as a juvenile, it is polena (yellowish).

OLI MAHALO
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Aue Ua Hiti E^*
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(Caller): Aue ua hiti e, Ua hiki e ‘o Hokupa’a e
(All): Aue ua hiti e
(Caller): Hele’e ka wa’a I ke kai e Ho’okele wa’a la ‘ino e ‘A’ohe e pulu, wa’a nui e
(All): Aue ua hiti e
(Caller): E lauhoe mai ka wa’a I ke ka
(All): I ka hoe
(Caller): I ka hoe
(All): I ke ka
(Caller): E pae atu I ka aina la
(All): E pae maila I ka aina e Aue ua hiti e

(Chant twice then sing the whole thing together)

^* The chant opens by proclaiming that the canoe has indeed arrived. The first olelo is for the steersman, the second one for the captain. We chant of paddling together as one unit, bailing and paddling unity and synergy so that the canoe may reach its destination and return to it's homeland.

You may notice the differance in the spelling of hiki/hiti in this chant. The t's and k's are interchangeable between Tahitian and Hawaiian. The word hiki/hiti means to arrive. You will quite often find and hear in songs where the letters will be switched between the first and second time a versus is sung or chanted to switch it up a bit and also give appreciation to our ohana south of the equator.

The Hawaiian Doxology
“Ka Mele Ho`omaika`i”

Ho`o nani ka Makua mau
Ke Keiki me ka Uhane no,
Ke Akua mau
Ho`o mai ka`i, pu,
Ko ke ia ao, ko ke la ao
Amene

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above,
ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Kiauau

Kiauau, kiauau
Haul, haul
Hukiauau, hukiauau
Pull on, pull on
Koauau, koauau
Draw on, draw on
Ho'omalo he kaula
Keep the rope taut
Moku a he kaula
Keep the rope in position

OLI HO-OIKAIKA
Prayer for Strength

E IHO ANA A LUNA
That which is above, be brought down
E PI'I ANA O LALO
That which is below, shall be lifted up
E HUI ANA NA MOKU
The islands shall be united
E KU ANA KA PAIA
The walls shall stand upright

PA MAI

PA MAI, PA MAI,
KAMAKANI O HILO E
LAWE AKE KA IPU NUI
HO`O MAI KA IPU LI`I LI`I
(REPEAT)

Pa Mai is a chant asking the wind god, Hilo (Tahitian "Hiro"), to stop blowing the wind so hard, stop the turning of the sea (the large bowl of water). Asking the wind to die down and make it come very tiny. When the wind dies the waves and ocean currents die.

Hawaiian Chants