He Mele no Ha'inakolo | Kimono top - teal

He Mele no Haʻinakolo
One of the greatest gifts of the moʻolelo of Haʻinakolo is seeing our experiences as kānaka of today in the story of this kupuna from so long ago. Although she was of chiefly status, she went through so many of the same challenges and crises that we face in modern life. Preserving the accounts of humans struggling, at times making the wrong choice or taking the wrong path, but also being resilient, finding their way back, and healing, this is one of the major functions of moʻolelo as a cultural practice. With so much care and generosity, our kūpuna left us these stories to help us navigate what it means to be human. Haʻinakolo shows us that we can recover from nearly anything, even serious mental health issues that often result from heartbreak and loss. Hula was a big part of Haʻinakolo’s healing process, so we chose to highlight the version of this mele kāhea that was common to hula practitioners of the past. However, the mele shows up several times in the story and the last few lines change depending on the person calling out to Haʻinakolo and the situation. So, when you are experiencing something difficult, find solace in the words of our kūpuna, in the story of this extraordinary wahine who came through trauma stronger and with a greater capacity for aloha. Her mele is for all of us, just as Hoʻoulumāhiehie shows us when closing the story with this variant ending: E ola i ka loaʻa mai, iā mākou, nā kini i hoʻohihi ihola iā ʻoe. ʻĀmama. Ua noa. - You shall live through those you have reached, you have touched us, the many people who admire you. ʻĀmama. The prayer is freed.

He mele kāhea a he leo aloha kēia no Haʻinakolo i ʻike pinepine ʻia ma ka moʻolelo. He unuhina kēia na mākou wale iho nō, a aia i kēlā me kēia mea i maopopo iā ia ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi kona manaʻo ponoʻī:

It is you, my sweetheart of pelted hīnano blossoms,
Of hala fruits sundered and bruised,
*Scattered on the path by the rain, they linger,
As a reminder, a fond memory of a dream,
Dreamt by the two of us, with aloha,
O Haʻiwahine, O Haʻinakolo,
In the sacred cliffs of Waipiʻo,
A dear friend, a companion of Laukaʻieʻie,
One for whom the rain forms a lei,
Should you heed our call, all will be well,
Should you grant us permission, you will live,
Live through our voices,
Live through those you have reached,
Live through us, students of the hula.

*ʻAla would also be a variant spelling for this word in line three, producing another meaning we also like: Their rain-scattered fragrance lingers.