Composed by: Kehau Smith
Oli Mahalo
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| ʻU hola ʻia ka maka loa la
Pūʻai ke aloha la Kūkaʻi ʻia ka Hāloa la
Mai ka hoʻokuʻi a ka hālāwai la
Mahalo, e nā kūpuna la ea Mahalo, me ke aloha la Mahalo, me ke aloha la |
To spread forth, open up the most fine quality mat
Exchange/share as potluck or aloha Exchange as greetings (between man and wife and descendants) To adorn with the lehua flower From East to West; sunrise to sunset, we are discoverers, navigators, take care of our ʻāina We thank our creators We thank our ancestors We thank you with love We thank you with love |
BACKGROUND
This oli was composed as a greeting of thanks for hospitality, love, generosity and knowledge that is given to us. It also gives thanks to the beauty of the islands and our people. Hāloa is ever-lasting breath. The kalo plant is considered our ancestor that is cherished and preserved. Makaloa is the finest mat woven. It is considered higher quality that lau hala. The message is that it is important for us to practice being “thankful” every day.