Hoʻonani I Ka Makua Mau (Doxology)
Words by Rev. Hiram Bingham & Theresa M. Haunani Bernardino,
Music by Louis Bourgeois

Hoʻonani i ka Makua mau
Ke Keiki me ka ʻUhane nō
Ke Akua mau, hoʻomaikaʻi pū
Ko kēia ao ko kēlā ao.

Kūnou haʻahaʻa ko ka honua
Nā uliuli o ke kai
Nā ʻano lani kau hōkū
Nā nani o ka ʻōnaeao

ʻĀmene

Let us give praise to the eternal Father,
To the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
To God everlasting, let there ring praise
Both in this world as well as the kingdom

All the earth bows in tribute,
As do the riches of the sea,
The celestials among the stars
And the splendors of the universe.

Amen


At her passing on August 27, 2006, Haunani Bernardino was 56 years old and already an accomplished musician and composer, known Hawaiian Scholar, author of children's book, and leader in the Hawaiian community. In over 30 years as a UH Hawaiian language professor (72-89 at UH Manoa and then at UH - Hilo until her passing), she taught hundreds to speak Hawaiian, many of whom now teach in the University system and Hawaiian language immersion schools.
She is also credited for starting the kupuna program used by our public schools today.

After the New England missionaries arrived in Hawaiʻi, many became proficient in Hawaiian and some eventually composed hymns in Hawaiian. There were brand new compositions and there were renderings from English to Hawaiian of already existing hymns. Hoʻonani I Ka Makua Mau is an example of the latter, written by Rev. Hiram Bingham for Praise God From Whom all Blessings Flow.

"In July, 2006, Haunani provided the explantion below of when and why she was inspired to compose an additional verse to this hymn"

"On Oct. 13, 2005, a 2nd verse was added. At a rehearsal of the UH Hilo choral group, Kealohaonālani, member Liko Puha, recorded the singing of Hoʻonani I Ka Makua Mau and later forwarded it to me via e-mail. After listening to the recording, I felt somewhat sad that the hymn was oh too short! So I decided to compose another verse. My hope was to write 4 lines that were worthy of the magnificence and grandness of the 1st verse while also reflecting a Hawaiian point of view. Therefore, I looked to the natural world and the things that grace our universe: the earth, ocean, sky, the stars and the heavens. Thus Kūnou Haʻahaʻa Ko Ka Honua was created and is gratefully dedicated to those voices of -Kealohaonālani.

The melody for Praise God From Whom all Blessings Flow and Hoʻonani I Ka Makua Mau is at least 450 years old, taken from Pseaumes Octante Trois De David and attributed to Louis Bourgeois ( 1510-1561) in 1551, Geneva, Switzerland; its name then - Old Hundredth.

The text for Praise God From Whom all Blessings Flow is also historic, having been written in 1764, in Winchester, England by Rev. Thomas Ken (1637-1711) as part of a long hymn, Awake, My Soul, And With The Sun. This hymn had its own melody with a total of 12 verses. The last verse began with Praise God from whom all blessings flow and summarized the Reverendʻs message. At some point, the Bourgeois melody and the Ken text were paired but when or how the pairing occurred is not known at this time.


Theresa M. Haunani Bernardino

Praise God From Whom all Blessings Flow

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav'nly hosts;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.


Source: Makalena Shibata - Verse 1 by Rev. Hiram Bingham (Binamu), Verse 2 by Haunani Bernardino, Music by Louis Borgeois, Translation by Haunani Bernardino