Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 10, 1 October 1988 — Composer Martin Shares Lyrics of "All Hawaiʻi Stand Together" [ARTICLE]

Composer Martin Shares Lyrics of "All Hawaiʻi Stand Together"

(Editor's note: Following the Ho'olokahi stadium event in January, a reader of Ka Wai Ola O OH A wrote in requesting the words for a song that was sung several times that evening. The song was "All Hawai'i Stand Together," written by Liko Martin, singer/songwriter/activist. Upon requesting permission to print the lyrics from the author he offered to share this short story on how he eame to create this simple, yet moving song:)

By Liko Martin While residing in Honolulu during the mid 70's, at the height of the Aloha aina movement and the first series of major struggles to stop the desecration of Kaho'olawe, I decided on returning to the Pu'u Honua o Ho'onaunau (City of Refuge) in South Kona, Hawaii. A few weeks earlier a cherished kupuna had passed on, and the longing to sit by the old heiau where the bones of our ancestors lay, and listen to the coconut trees chattering in the gentle breezes, became a haunting memory.

Shortly thereafter my friend and musical associate Don Ho, who had been concerned about political struggles to restore Hawaiian rights, asked if I might write a song that would inspire the Hawaiian people. A few hours later, "All Hawai'i Stand Together" was born. Later that evening, Don and I sat together and sang together. In the weeks that followed while in the office of the Hawaiian Coalition of Native Claims, under the directorship of Kawaipuna Prejean, I met kupuna Pilahi Paki. After an exchange of greetings auntie Pilahi offered to translate the song into Hawaiian. A few days later, "Hawai'i Loa Ku-Like Kakou," eame to be.

Then in January of 1976, upon the grounds of Iolani Palaee, with the blessing of the Reverend Abraham Akaka, in commemoration of our late Queen Liliuokalani, the illegal eoup d'etat of 1893 by American annexationists, and the restoring of an independent Hawaiian Nation, "Hawai'i Loa Ku-Like Kakou — All Hawai'i Stand Together" was first publicly performed.

"Hawaii-Loa, Ku-Li-Ke Ka-Kou" (All Hawaii Stand Together)

1. Nau e ma-kou ma ka honua (As I've traveled from plaee to plaee) I-wa-lea, ma-li-hini no (Some familiar and some are strange) Lo-he ma-kou na leo oli (T o hear the ancient chantings of our home) Na leo mo'o-lelo pana (As I've listened to the stories) Ike maka makou ika nani (My eyes have seen the glory) E ha-mau-loa, ko leo a-loha aina, (So let us raise our voice in song to save our land)

Chorus: Hawaii-loa, Ku-li-ke kakou (All Hawaii stand together) Ku-pa'a me ka lokahi e (It is now and forever) Ku-ka-la me ka wi-wo-ole (To raise our voices, ho!d your banners high) Oni-pa'a ka-kou, oni-pa'a ka'kou (We shall stand as a nation) A la-na-ki-la, na kini e (Guide the destiny of our generations) E ola, e ola, e ola, na kini e (Sing and praise the glory of our land) 2. I loko na hale a po-ha-ku ( Within stone walls and cities of refuge) A'o ia na hana hie-hie (We learn the sacred ways)

Wai pi-pi-i, o'wa-wa uli-uli o Waipio e (Upon Waipio's valley floor the ancient battles rage) Na puu-pa-noa o Ka-ho'o-lawe ke awa o Kahana (From the barren sbpes of Kaho'olawe and shores of Kahana bay) Ka one kani o nohili, hano-hano o Hanalei (We shall elaim our lands from the Barking Sands to the valleys of Hanalei)

3. Ma-loko o ka lua o Pele, bhe makou ko leo (From the fiery pit of Tutu Pele, I hear my mother's eall) Leo alo-ha a-na kupuna, me tutu ma (01d Tutu Kane and Mauna Kea, send their love to all) E Ka-ma-kua-mau-loa e, ko leo, Ha-le-a-ka-la (To stand as one beneath the sun, blessings from Haleakala Pa-ne mai ko leo a-loha aina (For our sweet Ka'ala and Waialeale) Hawaii-loa, Ku-li-ke ka-kou (Where the greatest waters fall) Original English words and music by Liko Martin, Hawaiian Translation by Pilahi Paki ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©1976 Printed with permission