As it was then it is now. 1893 / 2013.

HE LEI NO KA POE ALOHA AINA.

Kaulana na pua a Hawaii
Kupaa mahope o ka Aina
Hiki mai ka Elele a ka lokoino
Palapala anunu me ka pakaha
Pane mai Hawaii Nui a Keawe
Kokua na Hono a Piilani
Kakoo mai Kauai o Mao
Pau pu me ke one o Kakuhihewa
Aole e kau kuu pulima
Maluna o ka pepa a ka Enemi
Aole makou e minamina
I ka puu kala a ke Aupuni
Ua ola makou i ka pohaku
I ka ai kamahao a ka Aina
Hoohui Aina kuai hewa
I ka pono Kiwila a o ke kanaka
Mahope makou o Liliulani
A kau hou ia i ke Kalaunu
Haina ia mai ana ka puana
No ka poe i Aloha i ka Aina.

A LEI FOR THE PATRIOTS.

Famous are the blossoms of Hawaii
Who stand steadfast behind the Land
When the evil-hearted Messengers arrives
With their documents of greed and plunder
Great Hawaii of the Chief Kakuhihewa answers
The Bays of the Chief Piilani assists
Kauai of the Chief Manokalanipo gives support
Along with the sands of the Chief Kakuhihewa
I will not affix my signature
Upon the paper of the Enemy¹
We will not feel longing
For the sums of money from the Government
We live on the rocks
The amazing food of the Land
[Annexing and selling wrongfully
The Civil rights of the people]
We stand behind Liliulani
Her Crown shall be placed back upon her
Let the refrain be told
Of the people who Love the Land.

Miss Kekoaohiwaikalani,
Puahaulani Hale,
Honolulu, Feb. 10, 1893.

As a result of the many requests we received to reprint the mele of the Patriots, we are fulfilling your desire; and this is a totally accurate copy of this Mele gotten from the Lady who composed this mele.

[This mele was indeed printed many times in the Hawaiian-Language Newspapers, attesting to its importance.]

¹It appears that the bracketed lines were misplaced and should follow here. …or perhaps not, as it appears in basically this same form three years later: Aloha Aina, Buke III, Helu 24, Aoao 4. Iune 13, 1896. “E Nana Mai i ke Mele.”

(Leo o ka Lahui, 5/16/1893, p. 3)

Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 706, Aoao 3. Mei 16, 1893.