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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
 Posted - 01/21/2007 : 07:30:58 AM
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I have heard that this appearingly simple song praising the good foods of the sea is really not about the fish and poi at all. I don't see it. What am I missing?
Mahalo for your kekua.
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Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2007 : 07:27:27 AM
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Aloha, Wanda,
I can't speak to the kaona of this song. However, there's a thread that someone with a similar question started on another forum several years ago:
http://www.hawaiimusicmuseum.org/forumarchive/songs/tp1167.html
Keola Donaghy has particularly interesting insights about translation and kaona.
aloha,
Sarah |
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donley
Aloha
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2007 : 6:44:33 PM
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I read Keola's comments and enjoyed them immensley, and then made this post as a reply on that site and here.
I like what Keola said, "As far as the kaona, only the composer knows for sure" and "So what you get from huapala.org, Kimo, me, or any book, is someone else's interpretation of that song."
I agree completely. Just like all art and music, the meaning often is in the mind and heart of the viewer or listener.
Just to think about the kaona though, and at least one person's version of it, an Hawaiian born kumu I know and revere once told me that to her the kaona involved thinking of it as a song that women use to discuss the various traits of the men around them by comparing them to the fish. The slick and fast ones and the ones with the fat oily belly. Re-reading the Hawaiian with this thought in mind certainly gives me an interesting set of visuals to hold in my mind when I sing the song.
Donley |
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kealiiblaisdell
Akahai
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2007 : 7:31:54 PM
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Ah, the beauty of Kaona's! Kaona's are beautiful creations as mentioned above specifically done that way by the song creator themselves. As a songwriter myself, I do it for many reasons, and ususally it's because it is more of a personal nature for me than anything. For example, I wrote this song which is coming out on my next CD, and if you were just to read the translations, you may assume that I am speaking about a specific flower, example:
`Auhea wale ana `oe
Hearken to my song
ka pua o pakalana
of the pakalana blossom
onaona wale ia pua
fragrant is this flower
i ka hiki mau ia
due to it's ever blooming.
Onaona i ka ihu
Fragrant indeed to inhale
ke`ala pua pakalana
the scent of the pakalana
Now, when reading the translation, you may assume that im speaking of the pakalana flower and how fragrant and beautiful it's scent is. But i'm not at all. Im actually talking about my wife. In place of my wife is the pakalana. The scent I am speaking of in the song is the sweet smell of her hair. Blooming represents her everday awakening meaning when she wakes in the morning, her hair still smells good.
Pretty much poetic throughout. And the reason why I do this (and im sure that other writers do as well)is because it is a personal matter, something dear to us, someone we love and cherish. Kaona's are a beautiful thing and your right. It is the way songwriters write it, and only the songwriter knows what the true meaning really means.
Aloha-
Keali`i Blaisdell
I hoped this kinda helps.  |
Edited by - kealiiblaisdell on 02/15/2007 7:36:22 PM |
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hawaiianmusiclover06
`Olu`olu
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2007 : 12:38:27 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by kealiiblaisdell
Ah, the beauty of Kaona's! Kaona's are beautiful creations as mentioned above specifically done that way by the song creator themselves. As a songwriter myself, I do it for many reasons, and ususally it's because it is more of a personal nature for me than anything. For example, I wrote this song which is coming out on my next CD, and if you were just to read the translations, you may assume that I am speaking about a specific flower, example:
`Auhea wale ana `oe
Hearken to my song
ka pua o pakalana
of the pakalana blossom
onaona wale ia pua
fragrant is this flower
i ka hiki mau ia
due to it's ever blooming.
Onaona i ka ihu
Fragrant indeed to inhale
ke`ala pua pakalana
the scent of the pakalana
Now, when reading the translation, you may assume that im speaking of the pakalana flower and how fragrant and beautiful it's scent is. But i'm not at all. Im actually talking about my wife. In place of my wife is the pakalana. The scent I am speaking of in the song is the sweet smell of her hair. Blooming represents her everday awakening meaning when she wakes in the morning, her hair still smells good.
Pretty much poetic throughout. And the reason why I do this (and im sure that other writers do as well)is because it is a personal matter, something dear to us, someone we love and cherish. Kaona's are a beautiful thing and your right. It is the way songwriters write it, and only the songwriter knows what the true meaning really means.
Aloha-
Keali`i Blaisdell
I hoped this kinda helps.
Aloha mai kaua e Keali'i, glad to see that you are still lurking on TP despite your busy schedule. Don't stress out too much. By the way, I just read the lyrics to the song that you wrote and I have to say that it is 'ui and maika'i. Hope to hear from you soon. A hui hou.
Alana :) |
Aloha Kakou, maluhia a me aloha mau loa (Hello everyone, peace and love forever) |
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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2007 : 10:08:04 AM
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Keali`i -- who will be distributing your new CD???
-- Auntie Niele  |
Auntie Maria
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