Lei ʻOhu - by George E. Akiu


Lei ʻohu ʻohu ʻoe e Hilo Hanakahi
Ka lehua makanoe aʻo Panaʻewa
Lei kaulana aʻo Hilo

Lei ʻohu ʻohu ʻoe Maui nui a Kama
Ka roselani onaona o ke ʻala hola
Lei kaulana aʻo Maui

Lei ʻohu ʻohu ʻoe Kākuhihewa
Ka ʻilima melemele kau poʻohiwi
Lei kaulana aʻo Oʻahu

Lei ʻohu ʻohu ʻoe Manokalanipō
Ka mokihana hua liʻiliʻi o Waiʻaleʻale
Lei kaulana aʻo Kauaʻi

Haʻina ē ka wehi o nā mokupuni
Ka lehua, ka roselani, ʻilima, mokihana
O nā moku ʻehā

You, Hilo of Hanakahi, are adorned with lei
The lehua of Panaʻewa with its misty fragrance
Famous lei of Hilo

You, Maui of Kama, are adorned with lei
The roselani, fragrance spreading along the way
Famous lei of Maui

You, Oʻahu of Kākuhihewa, are adorned with lei
The yellow ʻilima draped on your shoulders
Famous lei of Oʻahu

You, Kauaʻi of Manokalanipō, are adorned with lei
The mokihana, small berries of Waiʻaleʻale
Famous lei of Kauaʻi

Tell the story of the decorative lei of the islands
The lehua, the roselani, ʻilima, mokihana
Of the four islands
Source: Johnny Noble’s "Hawaiian Hulas" © renewal, 1963 Miller Music Corp. Translator unknown