Ke Ala A Ka Jeep - Words by Mary Kawena Pukui , music by Eddie Kamae

ʻInā ʻoe e kau ana, i ke kaʻa jeep
He loa ke ala e hele ai, he kāhulihuli
Ma nā piʻina nā ihona piha pōhaku
`Alo ana i nā pānini me na ʻēkoa

Hoʻopūʻiwa i nā pipi a holo i kāhiʻe
Pēlā mākou, i hiki ai, i kai o Waikapuna
A mai laila, a Pūʻula, me kona hiehie
ʻ
Ike aku i ke ana ʻo Puhiʻula

Hoʻi hou aku i Nāʻālehu, me ke kaʻa jeep
Hauʻoli ka helena me nā makamaka
Alu aku i Kalae a me Kaulana
A ʻike ʻia Palahemo wai kamahaʻo

A hiki mai i ka hale o ka makamaka
Luana i ka laʻi ʻolu ʻo Waiʻōhinu
Haʻina ka puana me ke aloha
No ka ʻāina ka ua o Hāʻao.


When you get into the jeep
It is a long, rough road to travel
Going uphill or downhill, it is full of rocks
Dodge the prickly pear cactus and the false koa

We startled the cattle going to another place
So thus, we arrive at the sea of Waikapuna
There at Pūʻula, magnificent in its grandeur
See the caves of Puhiʻula

We return to Naʻalehu with the jeep
Happy, going to see our dear friends
We gather at South Point and Kaulana
View Palahemo, remarkable waters

Arrive at the house of dear friends
Relax in the peacefulness of Waiʻōhinu
Let it be told with love
For the land of the rain of Hāʻao.


Source: Myrna Kamae - The lyrics for "Ke Ala A Ka Jeep" came about because of a trip Myrna and Eddie Kamae took by jeep at the invitation of Mary Kawena Pukui. Kawena wanted to show Eddie and Myrna the places in Kaʻū where she spent time with her grandmother who was teaching Kawena the old ways. When they came back to the home of their friend, Uncle Willie Meinecke in Nāʻālehu, Kawena and Myrna worked on the lyrics about their day on the jeep, up the inclines, down the hollows. It was fun and by the end of the day, Eddie had composed the music and most of the song was finished. There was so much excitement, they forgot to get gas for the jeep and had to coast down the hill from Volcano to a gas station; fortunately, it was downhill. Copyright 1971Hawai`i Sons, Inc. Eddie Kamae's website: www.hawaiianlegacy.com