ʻAnoʻai - Traditional
ʻAnoʻai ku'u wehi la
I ka ua Kani lehua

Pua nani ka lehua la
No Hilo Hanakahi

Aʻo ku'u ipo ia la
I ke kai aʻo Mokuola

Kui ʻia me ke ʻala la
O nā hala a`o Puna

Haʻina ku'u wehi la
I ka ua Kanilehua

 Greetings to my love
In the Kanilehua rain

Beautiful is the lehua blossom
Of Hilo Hanakahi.

My sweetheart is
In the sea of Mokuola.

Intermingled with the fragrance
Of the hala of Puna.

Tell of my love
In the Kanilehua rain
Source: Hiona collection - This chant honors Hanakahi (deeds-done-in-unison), an ancient peace-loving chief who ruled the Hilo district. Wehi, an adornment is a sweetheart and Kanilehua (rain that sings upon the lehua) is the name of the Hilo rain. The red ʻōhiʻa lehua is the symbol of the island of Hawaiʻi. Mokuola or Island of Life, is in Hilo Bay. Legend says, if one swam around Mokuola 3 times, health would be gained. Umbilical cords of babies were deposited there to insure a healthy life. Puna was famous for its hala (pandanus) and the natives of the area were skillful weavers of the leaves. Translation by Kaiu Kanoa