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

Wā ‘Akahi

Kō Punapuna Kō‘ele‘ele
Ma Uka

‘‘O kāne iā Wai‘ololī, ‘o ka wahine iā Wai‘ololā
Hānau ke Kō‘ele‘ele noho i kai
Kia‘i ‘ia e ke Kō Punapuna Kō‘ele‘ele noho i uka
He pō uhe‘e i ka wawā
He nuku, he wai ka ‘ai a ka lā‘au
‘O ke Akua ke komo, ‘a‘oe komo kanaka

First Epic

Kō Punapuna Kō‘ele‘ele
Mountainside

Wai‘ololī the product of males, Wai‘ololā of females
The Kō‘ele‘ele gives birth, it is found in the sea
Guarded by the Kō Punapuna Kō ‘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 Kō

He nane no ke kō a me ka he‘e

Pua ke kō
Kū mai ka he‘e,
‘Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

Hua ka ‘ulu,
Kū mai ka he‘e
‘Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

Pala ka hala
Momona ka hā‘uke‘uke
‘Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

Pala ka hala
Momona ka wana
‘Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

Pua Ke Kō

A rhyme for the Kō and the He‘e

When the kō blossoms
The he‘e comes forth and is ready for taking
‘Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

When the ‘ulu creates fruit
The he‘e comes forth and is ready for taking
‘Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

When the hala is ripe
The hā‘uke‘uke is fat
Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

When the hala is ripe
The wana is fat.
‘Eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā, ‘eā!

Kekahi ‘Ike Hou A‘e

Inoa Hawai‘i: Kō

Inoa Pelekānia: Sugarcane

Inoa ‘Epekema: Saccarum officinarum

Kona ‘ano: He mau‘u nui loa kēia me nā hā nui i piha i ke kōpa‘a. Lō‘ihi, wīwī a ‘ōma‘oma‘o nā lau. Aia i ke ‘ano o ke kō ke kala o ka hā. He ‘ula‘ula, ‘ele‘ele a palaunu nā ‘ano kō.

‘Ikepili Hoihoi: Ua ho‘ohana ‘ia kekahi mau ‘ano kō i mea e ho‘ohihi kekahi kanaka me kekahi. Ua ho‘ohana pū ‘ia ke kō ma ke ‘ano he lā‘au lapa‘au no ka hano, nā moku, nā iwi hākī a me kekahi mau ma‘i ‘ē a‘e.

More Information

Hawaiian Name: Kō

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.