Cafe Au Lait - by Charles Mauu

 
Cafe au lait, Cafe au lait
Orara`a e, Orara`a e, Orara`a e
 
 
Te mau pori`i
I roto io taua fare e
Ma`ama`a hia oe
Ta`u ma`a tino
Tei ori hanoa na te ra
Tei ori hanoa na te ra
 
 
Cafe au lait, Cafe au lait
Orara`a e, Orara`a e, Orara`a e
 
 
Ho`i mai oe i roto io taua ai`a e
Horo ato`a vau i te poe na oe
To`u toa mafatu
To`u toa mafatu
 
 
Hinano iti
Tiare `oe
No te mau fa`a
No Tahiti
E here e to `oe ua ao
Hinano iti ruperupe
No te peho
Ori a noa mai to noanoa

 

Milked coffee, Milked coffee
Life, Life, Life
 
 
Every night
In our house
You were crazy
About my body
Dancing all over the place
Dancing all over the place
 
 
Milked coffee, Milked coffee
Life, Life, Life
 
 
You returned to the place that we belonged
I will also give you a pearl
My entire heart
My entire heart
 
 
Little Hinano
You are a tiare
Of the valley
Of Tahiti
Your love lingers till morning
The beautiful little Hinano
Of the upper valley
(Where you will) commonly find the sweet
fragrance dancing
 
Source: Kalani Po`omaihealani, Translated by Kalani Po`omaihealani, Copyright 1954 by Michael Goldsen, Inc - A girl, whose skin is like coffee with milk, is serenaded by her Tahitian lover. Tiare is the Tahitian gardenia. Hinano is the male Hala blossom