Kamakakēhau Lyrics & Translations

Kamakakēhau

Words and Music by Kalani Peʻa

ʻO ke ao ʻōnohi

Kēhau i ke aokū

Kū i ka maka 'o ia loke

Ke kama ho'i 

He kama lei no Nae'ole

(In the ao ʻōnohi showers

Is also the morning dew in the aokū rain

The countenance of the rose blossom

Sits a beloved child

An honored lei of Naeʻole)

Pae i ka 'āina he pua

A he mānaleo lā ē

He manaʻo paʻa, ʻeā

Ke kama hoʻi

He kama lei no Naeʻole

(The flower drift ashore

Hereʻs a Native Speaker

A determine one

A beloved child

An honored lei of Naeʻole)

He maile i pūlama ʻia

Me ka lei pakalana

Lana ka mana'o, ʻeā

Ke kama hoʻi

He kama lei no Naeʻole

(A maile is cherished

Entwined with the lei Pakalana

Staying so hopeful

For a beloved child

That becomes an honored lei

of Naeʻole)

Repeat

He kama hoʻi

He kama lei

Ka maka kēhau

Repeat

(A beloved child

A beloved lei

As a dewdrop strikes one's eye)

You are loved Kamakakēhau Fernandez. For your mama, for your ʻohana Naeʻole raising, nurturing and loving you. From your African Roots, being adopted by the 'ohana Nae'ole and Fernandez, to your Hawaiian music and Hawaiian immersion language education upbringing. This mele honors you. 

The Kaona of this mele also exemplifies in his name. "As a dewdrop strikes one's eye"- meaning Kamakakēhau being the Pua (flower) drifting ashore (coming from Arkansas to Hawai'i), his mother and family sheds that tear, that "dewdrop" to hānai, rear, nurture and love this exquisite African American baby who later became a voice of our lāhui through music and perpetuating 'Ōlelo Hawai'i. 

Credits:

Lead Singer/Songwriter, Music Producer- Kalani Pe'a of Pe'a Records & Entertainment LLC

Music Engineer, Co-producer and backup vocals of this mele - Michael Casil of iVibe Productions

Co-producer- Allan B. Cool-Pe'a

Lead/rhythm guitar and bass- Wailau Ryder