'''Hawaii Ponoī''' is the
state song and former
national anthem of
Hawaii. The words were written in
1874 by
King David Kalākaua with music composed by
Captain Henri Berger, then the king's royal bandmaster. ''Hawaii Ponoī'' was the
national anthem of the
Kingdom of Hawaii and the adopted song of the
Territory of Hawaii before becoming the state symbol by an act of the
Hawaii State Legislature in
1967. The melody is reminiscent of ''
God Save the Queen'' and the
Prussian hymn, ''
Heil dir im Siegerkranz''.
Hawaii ponoī,
'Hawaii ponoī,' ''Hawaii's own,
''
'Nānā i kou mōī,' ''Look to your king,
''
'Ka lani alii,' ''The royal chief,''
'Ke alii.' ''The chief.
''
'Hawaii ponoī,' ''Hawaii's own,
''
'Nānā i nā alii,' ''Look to your chiefs,
''
'Nā pua muli kou,' ''The children after you,
''
'Nā pōkii.' ''The young.
''
'Hawaii ponoī,' ''Hawaii's own,
''
'E ka lahui ē,' ''O Nation,
''
'O kou hana nui' ''Your great duty
''
'E ui ē. ' ''Strive.
''
'HUI(chorus)'
'Makua lani ē,' '' Royal father,
''
'Kamehameha ē,' ''Kamehameha,
''
'Na kāua e pale,' ''We shall defend,
''
'Me ka ihe.' ''With spears.''
Resources
★
Huapala ~ Hawaiian Music and Hula Archives ~ recording of melody available at website