Aloha Wale ka Nikiniki

Aloha wale ka nikiniki Ke kanaenae pua o Mailehuna E ae ia ana ia Kapaa I ke kahuli a ke kalukalu Honi u i ke ala o ka hinalo e Pe wale i ka uaua E lei ae au E lei hoi au i ke kanaka, i mea aloha I mea i hoopulapula hou O ka moe.

The knot that binds us is precious The chant of praise offered to Mailehuna Kapaa is trod upon In the surging of the kalukalu grass The fragrance of the hinalo is inhaled Made fragrant in the rain I am offering a lei I will lei my beloved So that we may procreate And lie together.

As we come to the end of the Makahiki season here in Hawai‘i, it’s appropriate to look back at our kūpuna and the customs and traditions of this season of peace and rest. In ancient days this was a time to enjoy all the gifts that peace brings and merriment, love, and procreation were celebrated. Kilu was a game of lovemaking that was played only by the upper echelon of chiefly society. The objective was to win three nights and three days with a handsome chief or beautiful chiefess who was present.

On top of being able to hit the kilu marker with a halved coconut shell from 60 feet away, the players had to be able to chant and dance exquisitely and through their ability to entice the other with their words and hula, one wins!

The first line of this chant, “Aloha wale ka nikiniki” (the knot that binds us is precious), symbolizes our native people’s undeniable appreciation and understanding of the importance of love and aloha in life and its healthy continuance.

Contact Kaui Kanaka‘ole

Chant words and translation can be found in: Kanahele, Pua Kanaka‘ole. Holo Mai Pele. Honolulu, Hawai‘i: Pacific Islanders in Communications, 2001. Print.