A NānaʻiKaulahea

Chant for Lānaʻi: A NānaʻiKaulahea

A NānaʻiKaulahea is part of a much longer chant in the epic story of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele, the younger and favorite sister of the volcano goddess Pele. Nānaʻiis another name for Lānaʻi in certain dialects of ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language). Hawaiian islands are often associated with the names of rulers from the past – in this case, King Kaulahea. Maunalei is an area on Lānaʻi where clouds encircle like a lei. The chant also speaks of how the island resembles the small sea turtle, like those that hatch on Polihua Beach, that Pele enjoyed as a delicacy.

This passage thus describes two hallmarks of Hawaiian hospitality – a lei greeting and an offering of food. 

毕夏普波利尼西亚人种学和自然历史博物馆 (Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum of Polynesian Ethnology and Natural Hisotry) 回忆录,第 6 卷
A Nanai1 Kaulahea,
A Mauna-lei, kui ka lei,
Lei Pele i ka ieie la, 
Wai hinu poo o Hiiaka,
Holapu ili o Haumea,
Ua ono Pele i kana ia,
O ka honu iki o Polihua2,  
Honu iki ai nounou,
Kua papai o ka moana,
Ka ea nui kua wawaka, 
Hoolike i ka ai na Pele, 
Ina oaka oaka oaka i ka lani la 
Elieli kau mai. 






Kaulahea、Lanai
和 Mauna-lei,编织着花环
Pele 头戴着用香露兜树编成的花环,
Hiiaka 让[她的]头顶熠熠发光
Haumea 为[她的]身体涂抹圣油。
Pele 高兴地吃着鱼,
Polihua 的小乌龟,
脖子短短的小乌龟
[它的]背部像海里的螃蟹壳。
它平坦巨大的乌龟背
好似 Pele 的食物
如果想要在阳光下闪耀着光华。
[就来]折服敬畏于我吧。


1Nanai 就是 Lanai。Kaulahea 是这座岛早期的王,也是一位著名的预言家。
2Poihua 特产海龟,是 Pele 最喜欢的食物。