NA KAMALEI O HAWAII.
Aia i ka nani,
Poiu o Palani,
Na kamalei o Hawaii,
Aia i Verdun,
I ke ala hiilani,
I ka welelau o na pu,
Aia ilaila, aia ilaila,
Na mamo pukoa o Maleka.
Halihali aloha,
No ka maluhia,
E kaua ana i ke kaua,
Aia i Palani,
I ke ala hiilani,
Na huaka’i koa imua;
Aia ilaila, aia ilaila,
Na kamalei o Hawaii.
Ua ku’i mai ka lono,
Ua ike’a ka pono,
Ua maa na koa i ke kaua,
He koa wiwo ole.
Na ka manu aeko,
Na ka hae ulaula, keokeo me bolu.
MARYJANE KULANI MONTANO.
May 31, 1918.
[This is yet another composition by Mary Jane Montano, although not widely known today. This was composed in honor of the Hawaiian boys who were fighting in World War I, and alludes to the Battle of Verdun.
In the Hawaiian-Language Newspapers, you can find countless examples of Hawaiian boys going off to war outside of Hawaii nei, starting with America's Civil War, and on down to the present.
The mele goes somewhat like:
THE BELOVED YOUTH OF HAWAII.
There in the beauty,
The glory of France,
Are the beloved youth of Hawaii,
There at Verdun,
On the exalted trail,
At the point of the artillery,
They are there, they are there,
The young fighters of America.
Carrying aloha,
For peace,
Fighting the fight,
There in France,
On the exalted trail,
The marching soldiers go forth,
They are there, they are there,
The beloved youth of Hawaii.
The news has spread,
The good has been seen,
The soldiers are seasoned,
Fearless warriors.
For the eagle,
For the red, white, and blue flag.
MARYJANE KULANI MONTANO.
May 31, 1918.]
(Kuokoa, 1/3/1919, p. 8)
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LVII, Helu 1, Aoao 8. Ianuari 3, 1919.
Filed under: Hawaiians Abroad, Mele, War Tagged: "Na Kamalei o Hawaii", France, Mary Jane Kulani Montano, Mary Jane Montano, Verdun, World War I
