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justinalderfer
Aloha
USA
27 Posts |
 Posted - 10/29/2007 : 08:19:08 AM
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I just learned this Keola Beamer song last weekend and I want to accompany the slack key guitar with vocals. I always try to understand the meaning of a song so I can convey its meaning when I perform it. Can anyone translate this line of the song "Old Man Pueo": 'I nä pali o ka ÿäina, i nä ua kuahiwi, ola mau loa, ola mau loa, he inoa no ka mana o ka pueo'?
Justin
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ka loku mele kaona |
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pukaua
Aloha
20 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2007 : 1:21:39 PM
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I'll give it a shot - maybe someone can improve on this (it's not as poetic as the Hawaiian). Pueo is owl.
"On the cliffs of the land, in the rains of the mountain, forever live, forever live, the song to the spirit-power of the owl." |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2007 : 07:21:31 AM
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| Sounds maika'i to me. The English, 75% of the time, will not be as poetic as the Hawaiian. It's all because songs don't translate well into other languages most of the time. |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2007 : 05:11:18 AM
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Pukaua has shown the sense of it as I see it. I would just add that one could say, in the mountain rains.
And many of you know this already, but I'll mention (because I think it is helpful in understanding some of the character and intent of the song) that "he inoa no" signifies "a song for" where inoa refers to a mele inoa, or a name song, in honor of someone or something. The phrase "He inoa no... (A name song for...)" is a phrase found at the start or end of certain mele, or oli, that fit the form and category of name songs or chants. The owl is regarded as an 'aumakua (a kind of guardian spirit) by some. See the entry in the Dictionary for 'aumakua.
aloha,
Sarah |
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pukaua
Aloha
20 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 10:01:14 AM
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| Yep, Sarah has added some great info to help get a feeling for the broader meaning of the words. Thanks! |
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justinalderfer
Aloha
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 10:47:01 AM
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Mahalo nui loa,
Justin |
ka loku mele kaona |
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Mark E
Lokahi
USA
186 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 8:09:31 PM
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Mahalo e Sarah! Tht's just the kind of stuff I find so interesting. I hope you'll post much, much more of it.
Mark E |
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