HONOKŌWAI
PROJECT DETAILS
Composer: Nicholas Kealiʻi Lum
Producer: Keauhou Recording
Mixing Engineer: Michael Grande, Studio Ala Moana
Music Video Production: Chelsie Machado, Jon Spenser, Ha’e Kane
A mele written by Nicholas Kealiʻi Lum to celebrate the ʻāina of Honokōwai and the efforts of groups such as the West Maui Preservation and others to restore the abundance of the fisheries and the land of Honokōwai from preserving dune structures to seeking to minimize and eliminate damage to the coral reefs from injection well effluent.
Sheet music for this song will be included in the book, Lei Nāhonoapi‘ilani, distributed by Kamehameha Schools Publishing — available November 2019. A portion of proceeds from the sale of Lei Nāhonoapi‘ilani will be donated to Nā Leo Kālele.
LYRICS
Aia i ka nani aʻo Honokōwai
I ka pali hinahina o Kāʻanapali
I ka pali hinahina o Kāʻanapali
Kaʻa iho i kai o Hāʻenanui
I ka papa holo iʻa a ka nui manu
I ka papa holo iʻa a ka nui manu
A uka hoʻi au i kapakai o Wainalu
Me ka pōhuehue aʻo ia puʻeone
Me ka pōhuehue aʻo ia puʻeone
Kau aku nā maka iā ʻAuʻau
ʻIke ʻia Lānaʻi i ka ʻehu kai
ʻIke ʻia Lānaʻi i ka ʻehu kai
Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana
Aia i ka nani aʻo Honokōwai
Aia i ka nani aʻo Honokōwai
There in the beauty of Honokōwai
In the gray cliffs of Kāʻanapali
In the gray cliffs of Kāʻanapali
Reaching the sea of Hāʻenanui
In the abundant reef of the flock of birds
In the abundant reef of the flock of birds
And I return to the shore of Wainalu
With the pōhuehue of the sand dunes
With the pōhuehue of the sand dunes
The eyes gaze upon ʻAuʻau channel
Lānaʻi is seen in the sea spray
Lānaʻi is seen in the sea spray
Told is the refrain
There in the beauty of Honokōwai
There in the beauty of Honokōwai