Kuulei Higashi
Kamokuna, Keaukaha, Hawai‘i
6/12/01

Wa&_macron; ‘Akahi

Ko&_macron; Punapuna Ko&_macron;‘ele‘ele
Ma Uka

‘‘O ka&_macron;ne ia&_macron; Wai‘ololi&_macron;, ‘o ka wahine ia&_macron; Wai‘olola&_macron;
Ha&_macron;nau ke Ko&_macron;‘ele‘ele noho i kai
Kia‘i ‘ia e ke Ko&_macron; Punapuna Ko&_macron;‘ele‘ele noho i uka
He po&_macron; uhe‘e i ka wawa&_macron;
He nuku, he wai ka ‘ai a ka la&_macron;‘au
‘O ke Akua ke komo, ‘a‘oe komo kanaka

First Epic

Ko&_macron; Punapuna Ko&_macron;‘ele‘ele
Mountainside

Wai‘ololi&_macron; the product of males, Wai‘olola&_macron; of females
The Ko&_macron;‘ele‘ele gives birth, it is found in the sea
Guarded by the Ko&_macron; Punapuna Ko&_macron; ‘Ele‘ele in the uplands
The night becomes tumultuous
Ranting, plants are sustained by water
The Gods enter, man does not have access

Pua Ke Ko&_macron;

He nane no ke ko&_macron; a me ka he‘e

Pua ke ko&_macron;
Ku&_macron; mai ka he‘e,
‘Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

Hua ka ‘ulu,
Ku&_macron; mai ka he‘e
‘Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

Pala ka hala
Momona ka ha&_macron;‘uke‘uke
‘Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

Pala ka hala
Momona ka wana
‘Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

Pua Ke Ko&_macron;

A rhyme for the Ko&_macron; and the He‘e

When the ko&_macron; blossoms
The he‘e comes forth and is ready for taking
‘Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

When the ‘ulu creates fruit
The he‘e comes forth and is ready for taking
‘Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

When the hala is ripe
The ha&_macron;‘uke‘uke is fat
Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

When the hala is ripe
The wana is fat.
‘Ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;, ‘ea&_macron;!

Kekahi ‘Ike Hou A‘e

Inoa Hawai‘i: Ko&_macron;

Inoa Peleka&_macron;nia: Sugarcane

Inoa ‘Epekema: Saccarum officinarum

Kona ‘ano: He mau‘u nui loa ke&_macron;ia me na&_macron; ha&_macron; nui i piha i ke ko&_macron;pa‘a. Lo&_macron;‘ihi, wi&_macron;wi&_macron; a ‘o&_macron;ma‘oma‘o na&_macron; lau. Aia i ke ‘ano o ke ko&_macron; ke kala o ka ha&_macron;. He ‘ula‘ula, ‘ele‘ele a palaunu na&_macron; ‘ano ko&_macron;.

‘Ikepili Hoihoi: Ua ho‘ohana ‘ia kekahi mau ‘ano ko&_macron; i mea e ho‘ohihi kekahi kanaka me kekahi. Ua ho‘ohana pu&_macron; ‘ia ke ko&_macron; ma ke ‘ano he la&_macron;‘au lapa‘au no ka hano, na&_macron; moku, na&_macron; iwi ha&_macron;ki&_macron; a me kekahi mau ma‘i ‘e&_macron; a‘e.

More Information

Hawaiian Name: Ko&_macron;

English Name: Sugarcane

Scientific Name: Saccarum officinarum

Description: This is a very big grass with big stems filled with sugar. The leaves are long, skinny and green. The kind of sugarcane is known by the color of the stem. There are red, black or brown types.

Interesting Fact: Certain types of sugarcane were used as aphrodisiacs. It was also used as a medicine for asthma, cuts, broken bones and other sicknesses.