Chants for Kaho‘olawe

The following chants were composed by the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation unless otherwise noted. These chants are to be used only on Kaho‘olawe and are kapu elsewhere.

Click here to download an orientation packet that includes all oli and protocol procedures.

Cultural Protocol for Approaching Kaho‘olawe Island


  • Purpose: The following protocol is perscribed for the purpose of requesting permission to pae (land) onto Kanaloa-Kaho‘olawe

  • Frequency: To be done each time a party approaches Kanaloa-Kaho‘olawe with the intent to land by any means of transport

  • Procedure

  • A trained cultural pracitioner or a member of the arriving party will call out for permission to land by chanting the Oli Kāhea

  • The Haku‘ili, Na‘ālapa or delegated representative will grant permission by responding with the Oli Komo

  • Failure to request permission or landing before permission is granted is considered a breach of appropriate protocol. The receiving individual(s) on land is bound by obligations of hospitality to grant permission to the visitors to land if the Oli Kāhea is delivered properly. A rejection to land by the receiving party is possible.

Oli Kahea

He haki nu‘anu‘a nei kai

‘O ‘awa ana i uka

Pehea e hiki aku ai

‘O ka leo

Mai pa‘a i ka leo

Oli Komo

‘Ane hiki mai

‘Ane hiki mai ‘oukou

Lehua lanalana o Kanaloa

E pae, e pae

Eia lā ka leo, ‘ae

Indeed a rough and crashing sea

Echoing into the uplands

How is it that one lands?

It is the voice

Please donʻt hold back the voice

You are almost here,

Almost here,

You brave ones so bouyant on the sea of Kanaloa

Land, land

Here is the voice, yes

Cultural Protocol for Departure from Kaho‘olawe

  • Purpose: The following protocol is prescribed for the purpose of requesting departure from Kaho‘olawe each time for the purpose of requesting departure from Kaho‘olawe each time a party prepares to depart participants.

  • A trained cultural pracitioner or delegated representative of the departing group will request leave by means of the Noi ‘A‘ama.

  • The Haku‘ili, Na‘ālapa or delegated represenAtayive will release the requesting individual(s) by responding with the Oli Ho‘oku‘u

  • The protocol is complete at the conclusion of the Oli Ho‘oku‘u

KE NOI ‘A‘AMA

‘O ‘awekuhi, ‘o kai uli

Kuhikau, kuhikau

E hō  mai i ‘a‘ama, i ‘a‘ama aha

I ‘a‘ama ‘ia au

Pointing tentacle of the deep sea,

Direct, direct

Grant an ‘a‘ama, ‘a‘ama for what purpose?

For releasing me from my obligation as your guest

OLI HO‘OKU‘U

Ku ‘oe a hele,

Noho au

Ua hele ‘oe, ua hele ‘oe

A, ua hele lā

Rise up and take leave,

I will remain

Go, go see

You have left already

Protocol for Sunrise

Purpose: The purpose of this chant is to aid the sun in its efforts to start a new day.


E ALA Ē

E ala ē, ka lā i ka hikina

I ka moana, ka moana hōhonu

Pi‘i i ka lewa, ka lewa nu‘u

I ka hikina, aia ka lā, e ala ē!

Rise up, the sun is in the East

In the ocean, the deep ocean

Climbs to the sky, the great height of the sky

In the East, there is the sun, rise up!

Cultural Protocol

Purpose:   The following chants and prayers are recited to allow the mind and consciousness to move from the mundane space to the sacred. These chants are to be utilized for personal purpose or before entering into ceremony.


E HŌ MAI

E hō mai ka ‘ike mai luna mai ē

‘O nā mea huna no‘eau o nā mele ē

E hō mai, e hō mai, e hō  mai ē

Grant us the knowledge from above

The wise things that are concealed within the chants

Grant us, grant us, grant us

NĀ ‘AUMĀKUA

Nā ‘Aumākua mai ka lā hiki a ka lā kau

Mai ka ho‘oku‘i a ka hālawai

Nā ‘Aumākua iā ka hina kua, iā ka hina alo

Iā ka ‘ākau i ka lani

O kīhā i ka lani

‘Owē i ka lani

Nunulu i ka lani

Kāholo i ka lani

Eia ka pulapula a ‘oukou, ‘O Kūkulu Ke Ea A Kanaloa

E Mālama ‘oukou iā  mākou

E ulu i ka lani

E ulu i ka honua

E ulu i ka pae ‘āina ‘o Hawai‘i

E hō mai ka ‘ike

E hō mai ka ikaika

E hō mai ke akamai

E hō mai ka maopopo pona

E hō mai ka ‘ike pāpālua

E hō mai ka mana

You ancestral deities from the rising to the setting sun

From the zenith to the horizon

Those who stand at our back and at our front

You gods who stand at our right hand!

Breathing in the heavens,

Utterance in the heavens,

Clear, ringing voice in the heavens,

Voice reverberating in the heavens!

Here is your progeny, Kūkulu Ke Ea A Kanaloa

Safeguard us

Growth to the heavens

Growth to the Earth

Growth to the islands of Hawai‘i

Grant knowledge

Grant strength

Grant intelligence

Grant divine understanding

Grant intuitive insight

Grant mana