The document presents the traditional Hawaiian chant “Makahiki ʻEha” (He Mele no Kāne) in a bilingual format, pairing the original Hawaiian verses with an English translation. The chant repeatedly asks the rhetorical question “Where is the water of Kāne?” and answers it by locating the water in various sacred realms – the eastern gate (Ha‘eha‘e), floating sun over the ocean, mountain peaks, valleys, the sea, clouds, and underground springs associated with Kāne and Kanaloa. Each stanza is followed by a literal English rendering that preserves the poetic structure. The text includes extensive footnotes that explain culturally specific terms, place names (e.g., Ha‘eha‘e, Nihoa, Punohu), mythological concepts (Kāne, Kanaloa, the water of life), and historical references. The source is cited as Nathaniel B. Emerson’s Unwritten Literature of Hawai‘i, the Sacred Songs of the Hula. The document is intended as lecture material for Hawaiian studies, providing both linguistic content and interpretive guidance for educators and students.
Topics
Bilingual Presentation of Makahiki ʻEha Chant
Side‑by‑side Hawaiian verses and English translations of the chant, preserving poetic form and repeated refrains.
Thematic Exploration of the Water of Kāne in Hawaiian Cosmology
Analysis of how each stanza locates the water of Kāne in distinct natural and mythic realms – eastern gate, floating sun, mountains, ocean, clouds, underground springs – reflecting Hawaiian concepts of sacred geography and divine sustenance.
Annotated Footnotes Clarifying Hawaiian Terminology and Mythology
Scholarly footnotes that define terms such as Ha‘eha‘e, Kaulanakala, Pae opua i ke kai, Nihoa, Punohu, Ua koko, and the myth of Wai kau a Kāne me Kanaloa, providing cultural and linguistic context.
Source Attribution and Scholarly Context
Citation of Emerson’s *Unwritten Literature of Hawai‘i* and the document’s provenance (Kau Häÿulelau 2002), situating the chant within academic study of Hawaiian oral literature.
Pedagogical Use: Hawaiian Studies Lecture Material
The document’s intended function as lecture notes, offering a ready‑made resource for teaching Hawaiian language, chant structure, and cultural symbolism.