The Traditional Literature of Hawaii - Sacred Songs of the Hula. Nathaniel Bright Emerson
ka nahelehele;
He hoa kaana ia no'u,
No kela kuahiwi, kualono hoi.
E Laka, e Laka, e!
B maliu mai!
15
A maliu mai oe pono au,
A a'e mai oe pono au!
[Translation]
Altar-Prayer (to Laka)
This my wish, my burning desire,
That in the season of slumber
Thy spirit my soul may inspire,
Altar-dweller,
5
Heaven-guest,
Soul-awakener,
Bird from covert calling,
Where forest champions stand.
There roamed I too with Laka,
10
Of Lea and Loa a wilderness-child;
On ridge, in forest boon companion she
To the heart that throbbed in me.
O Laka, O Laka,
Hark to my call!
15
You approach, it is well;
You possess me, I am blest!
In the translation of this pule the author has found it necessary to depart from the verse arrangement that obtains in the Hawaiian text.
The religious services of the halau, though inspired by one motive, were not tied to a single ritual or to one set of prayers. Prayer marked the beginning and the ending of every play--that is, of every dance--and of every important event in the programme of the halau; but there were many prayers from which the priest might select. After the prayer specially addressed to Laka the visitor might use a petition of more general scope. Such is 'the one now to be given:
He Pule Kuahu (ia Kane ame Kapo); a he Pule Hoolei
Kane, hikii a'e, he malâma 73 la luna;
Ha'aha'a, he maláma ia lalo;
Oni-oni, 74 he málama ia ka'u;
He wahine 75 lei, málama ia Kapo;
5
E Kapo nui, hala-hala 76 a i'a;
E Kapo nui, hala-hala 77 a mea,
Ka alihl 78 luna, ka alihi lalo;
E ka poha-kú. 79
Noho ana Kapo i ka ulu wehi-wehi;
10
Ku ana i Moo-helaia, 80
Ka ohi'a-Ku iluna o Mauna-loa.
Aloha mai Kaulana-a-ula 81 ia'u;
Eia ka ula la, he ula leo, 82
He uku, he mohai, he alana,
15
He kanaenae na'u ia oe, e Kapo ku-lani.
E moe hauna-ike, e hea au, e o mai oe.
Ata la na Iehua o Kaana, 83
Ke kui ia mai la e na wahlne a lawa
I lei no Kapo--
20
O Kapo, alii nui no ia moku,
Ki'e-ki'e, ha'a-ha'a;
Ka la o ka ike e ike aku ai:
He ike kumu, he ike lono;
He ike pu-awa 84 hiwa,
25
He ike a ke Akua, e!
E Kapo, ho'i!
E ho'i a noho i kou kuahu.
Ho'ulu ia!
Eia ka wai, 85 la,
20
He wai e ola.
E ola nou, e!
Verses 9 to 15, inclusive, are almost identical in form with the first seven verses in the Mele Kuahu addressed to Laka, given on page 33.
[Translation]
An Altar-Prayer (to Kane and Kapo): also a Garland-Prayer, used while decorating the altar
Now, Kane, approach, illumine the altar;
Stoop, and enlighten mortals below;
Rejoice in the gifts I have brought.
Wreathed goddess fostered by Kapo--
5
Hail Kapo, of beauty resplendent!
Great Kapo, of sea and land,
The topmost stay of the net,
Its lower stay and anchoring line.
Kapo sits in her darksome covert;
10
On the terrace, at Mo'o-he-laia,
Stands the god-tree of Ku, on Mauna-loa.
God Kaulana-ula twigs now mine ear,
His whispered suggestion to me is
This payment, sacrifice, offering,
15
Tribute of praise to thee, O Kapo divine.
Inspiring spirit in sleep, answer my call.
Behold, of Iehua bloom of Kaana
The women are stringing enough
To enwreath goddess Kapo;
20
Kapo, great queen of that island,
Of the high and the low.
The day of revealing shall see what it sees:
A seeing of facts, a sifting of rumors,
An insight won by the black sacred awa,
25
A vision like that of a god!
O Kapo, return!
Return,