KS Kapālama Commencement 2020

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Class Oli Lyrics

He Oli No Ka Papa 2020 – Haku ‘ia e R. Keawe Lopes


Uluwehi ē ka uka lā o ka nahele
Lei ‘ala kupukupu a‘o Kaiona
Ka Wahine kia‘i pua

Pua maila i ke oho o ka palai
E luhe maila i ka ‘olu malu kī
Ka malu lau kukui

Pūku‘i ē ka mu‘o ua lau-a‘e
I ka pā e lama ai nā kamalei
He home ho‘ona‘auao

Ua ao ē ka ua lani pōlua
I ka lei ‘ōnohi ku‘u hoa pili
‘O Pauahilani

Verdant are the uplands of the forest
Where resides the kupukupu scented lei of Kaiona
The Goddess who carefully watches over the young

They bloom ‘neath the fronds of the palai
Lushly overhanging in the cool of the Ti plant
And the shade of the leaves of the kukui tree

The young have progressed and multiplied
In the sanctuary where they are enlightened
A home of education

The rains of the dark heavens have been cleared
By the beloved one, my dear companion
Pauahilani


This chant was composed for the Kamehameha Schools class of 2020. The chant alludes to various other references to Ke Ali‘i Pauahi. Kaiona is the Goddess of Ka‘ala. She is known to send ‘iwa birds to assist in travelers who have lost their way in the forests, just as Ke Ali‘i Pauahi has provided assistance to her people via the Kamehameha Schools. The plant references show a thriving forest, just as the Hawaiian people are thriving through education here at Kamehameha. The class of 2020 is represented by their color, green, which symbolizes life and sustenance. The last verse alludes to a chant for Ke Ali‘i Pauahi, as she is seen as the light in a dark night, guiding those who are troubled, and bring sunlight through the clouds.