A Dedication to a Mother —

Mother Earth

Hawaiian:

Aloha e Ku‘u Māmā

‘O ‘oe ka lani, e ho’onani nei

Nāu e ku’u ‘ike, e kāko’o nei

‘O ‘oe ka lā, e ‘alohi nei,

Nāu e ku’u aloha, e ‘imo’imo nei

‘O ‘oe ke ao, e ho’omalu nei,

Nāu e ku’u pili e pumehana nei

‘O ‘oe ka ua, e ho’opulu nei,

Nāu e ku’u kahu e ho’opakele nei

‘O ‘oe ka mauna, e kilakila nei,

Nāu e ku’u ‘i’ini e ha’aha’a nei

‘O ‘oe ka waolani, e wehi nei,

Nāu e ku’u alo e kāhiko nei

‘O ‘oe ke kahawai, e hānai nei,

Nāu e ku’u ola e mālama nei

‘O ‘oe ke kai, e ho’ōla nei,

Nāu e ku’u haku e kia’i nei

Papahānaumoku ka wahine ola a he mana kona e kāu pono ai iā kākou i ko kākou ‘ala. Na Papahānaumoku i noho pū me Wakea a hanau nā moku o Hawaii nei. Ua koho ‘ia i ka mālama ‘ana i nā keiki he nui. Like ho’i i ko kākou māmā, he koho kāna e lilo i wahine mālama keiki. No laila, he kuleana ho’i ko kākou e pili me ka ‘āina. Pehea kākou e ho’okō ai i kēia kuleana? E ‘ikepili kākou i ka honua a ho’opili ka ‘ike i ko kākou ola. Na ka lani i kāko’o i kou ‘ike, na ka lā i ‘imo’imo i kou aloha, na ke ao i pumehana i kou pili, na ka ua i ho’opakele i kou kahu, na ka mauna i ho’oha’aha’a i kou ‘i’ini, na ka waolani i kāhiko i kou alo, na ke kahawai i mālama i kou ola a na ke kai i kia’i i kou haku. Me kēia Aloha e ku’u Māmā e!

English:

You are the heaven, brilliantly present

For you are my vision, sustained always

You are the sun, radiantly present

For you are my delight, shining brightly

You are the cloud, protectively present

For you are my beloved, so affectionate

You are the rain, drenching present

For you are my guardian, to guide always

You are the mountain, statuesquely present

For you are my aspiration, humble always

You are the forest, beautifully present

For you are my image, adorned always

You are the stream, presently nurturing

For you are my life, caring always

You are the sea, presently living

For you are my dream, leading always

Papahānaumoku (Mother earth) is a woman with many gifts to rightfully share with us upon our path. Papahānaumoku sat with Wakea (sky father) and gave birth to the islands of Hawai‘i. It was her choice to care for her children. Very similar to our own mothers, they had a choice to become mothers of generations. Therefore, it is our responsibility to become one with the land. How do we carry on such responsibility? We seek to understand and become the life of the land. A relationship to the heavens that sustains your vision, the sun that shines your love, the clouds that warm your beloved, the rain that guides your guardian, the mountain that humbles your aspiration, the forest that adorns your image, the stream that nurtures your life and the sea that leads your dreams. With this, love always to My Mother!

A dedication to all mothers of past, present and future generations for you are the heavens, the sun, the clouds, the rain, the mountains, the forests, the streams and the sea that leads a life of dreams. I dedicate this piece especially to my mother,
Charlene Leianueanue Ching.

Contact Kumu Keala Ching at kumukeala@nawaiiwiola.org.