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Ka 'Ula By The Sea
by Barbara Dempsey
choreography - Barbara Dempsey
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Naue (on Kaua‘i) is known for its hala trees, which often symbolize love or separation, remembrance, forgiveness, and release.
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Puna (on Hawai‘i island) is linked with the goddess Pele and passion.
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Kīlauea refers to the fiery crater, symbolizing desire, transformation, or destruction.
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Ka'ula can symbolize love, sacredness, or vitality, since the color red (ʻulaʻula) is often associated with life, passion, and divine energy in Hawaiian culture
So, figuratively, this song (mele) expresses a story of love and distance — “the hala belongs to Naue, but the woman to Puna” — implying lovers separated by islands, with Kīlauea’s crater (fire) representing the intensity or consequence of that love.
Ka 'ula is adorned by the sea
The radiance of Ni‘ihau is calm and serene
In the calm, the gentle rain falls
The pandanus trees of Naue drink from the sea
The hala belongs to Naue, the woman belongs to Puna
To the very pit at Kilauea she belongs
Chorus:
Ke lei mai la 'o Ka'ula i ke kai ē (Kaʻula is adorned (like a lei) by the sea.”)
Ke lei maila 'o Ka'ula i ke kai ē (Kaʻula is adorned (like a lei) by the sea.”)
‘O ka mālamalama o Ni‘ihau ua mālie e A mālie
(The shining light of Niʻihau is peaceful, so calm, so calm)
A mālie, ua pā e ka Inuwai lā (So calm, touched by the gentle sea breeze.)
Interlude:
Ke inu mai la nā hala o Naue i ke kai (The pandanus trees of Naue drink from the sea.)
No Naue ka hala, no Puna ka wahine (Naue belongs to the hala trees, Puna to the woman.)
No ka lua nō i Kīlauea (She belongs to the pit (crater) at Kīlauea.)
No ka lua nō i Kīlauea (She belongs to the pit (crater) at Kīlauea.)
Chorus:
Ke lei mai la 'o Ka'ula i ke kai ē (Kaʻula is adorned (like a lei) by the sea.”)
Ke lei maila 'o Ka'ula i ke kai ē (Kaʻula is adorned (like a lei) by the sea.”)
‘O ka mālamalama o Ni‘ihau ua mālie e A mālie
(The shining light of Niʻihau is peaceful, so calm.)
A mālie, ua pā e ka Inuwai lā (So calm, touched by the gentle sea breeze.)
Tag:
Ke lei mai la 'o Ka'ula i ke kai ē (Kaʻula is adorned by the sea.)
Ke lei maila 'o Ka'ula i ke kai ē (Kaʻula is adorned by the sea.)
This song was inspired by the chant "Oli Lei" Ke lei maila ‘o Ka‘ula i ke kai
ē ʻO ka mālamalama a‘o Ni‘ihau ua mālie
A mālie ua pā (e) ka Inuwai lā
Ke inu maila nā hala ‘o Naue i ke kai
No Naue ka hala, no Puna ka wahine
No ka lua nō i Kīlauea ‘Ae!