Waipi‘o Valley Song
Author: Sam Li`a Kalainaina, Jr.
Huli aku nana i ke kai uli.
Ua nalo ka nani ‘o Paka‘alana
Ha‘ina ‘ia mai ana ka puana:
Ua ‘ike ku maka ia Waipi‘o.
Turn and gaze at the dark sea.
The beauty of Paka‘alana has vanished.
Let the refrain be told:
The mind has seen Waipi’o.
A continued ode to one of my most favorite sacred temples in the world: Waipi’o Valley.
This Mele Pana was written by Sam Li`a Kalainaina, Jr. and Eddie Kamae (a musical member of the Sons of Hawai’i) on the first day that they met, after spending time on Waipi’o Valley. This song is about a 16th Century Ali’i, Chief ‘Umi-a-Liloa, and Paka‘alana, a heiau (temple) that was located in the valley, of which was destroyed by the Aleutian Earthquake of 1946.
Māhālo for listening and reading.