Aloha
ʻOe (Farewell to Thee) was written
by Queen Lili'uokalani (1838-1917), the last reigning queen of Hawaii -
and a Latter-day Saint convert.
This was included in the 1949 Recreational Songs. In
Hawaii, Latter-day Saints sing the chorus in Hawaiian after the end of
Sacrament Meeting to say farewell to those leaving the ward that week
- singing it over and over until everyone has had a chance to come
forward to hug, kiss, and put a lei over the departee's shoulders. It is a
very tender, heartfelt farewell that is long remembered. The lyrics
were always glued into the back of the hymnal - we were in Hawaii when the
current hymnal came out and a copy of this song is still glued in the back of
my hymnal. Having been stationed in
Hawaii in the military, we sang it often for those departing to new
military assignments.
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Haʻaheo
ka ua i nā pali |
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Proudly swept
the rain by the cliffs |
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| |
Ke nihi aʻela
i ka nahele |
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As it glided
through the trees |
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| |
E hahai (uhai)
ana paha i ka liko |
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Still
following ever the bud |
|
| |
Pua
ʻāhihi lehua o uka |
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|
The
ʻāhihi lehua of
the vale |
|
| |
|
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Hui: |
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|
Chorus: |
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| |
Aloha
ʻoe, aloha
ʻoe |
|
|
Farewell to Thee, farewell to Thee |
|
| |
E ke onaona
noho i ka lipo |
|
|
The charming one who dwells in the shaded bowers |
|
| |
One fond
embrace, |
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One fond embrace, |
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| |
A hoʻi
aʻe au |
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'Ere I depart |
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| |
Until we meet
again |
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Until we meet again |
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ʻO
ka haliʻa aloha i
hiki mai |
|
|
Sweet memories
come back to me |
|
| |
Ke hone aʻe
nei i |
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|
Bringing fresh
remembrances |
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| |
Kuʻu
manawa |
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Of the past |
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| |
ʻO
ʻoe nō kaʻu
ipo aloha |
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Dearest one,
yes, you are mine own |
|
| |
A loko e hana
nei |
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From you, true
love shall never depart |
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Maopopo kuʻu
ʻike i ka nani |
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I have seen
and watched your loveliness |
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| |
Nā pua rose o
Maunawili |
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|
The sweet rose
of Maunawili |
|
| |
I laila hiaʻia
nā manu |
|
|
And 'tis there
the birds of love dwell |
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Mikiʻala
i ka nani o ka lipo |
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And sip the
honey from your lips |
|
This song of farewell is the most
famous of the Queen's compositions, written in 1878. Lahilahi Webb and Virginia Dominis Koch tell of a visit
by the queen and her attendants to Maunawili Ranch, the home of Edwin Boyd
on windward Oahu. As they started their return trip to Honolulu on
horseback up the steep Pali trail, the queen turned to admire the view of
Kaneohe Bay. She witnessed a particularly affectionate farewell between
Colonel James Boyd of her party and a lovely young girl from Maunawili. As
they rode up the steep cliff and into the swirling winds, she started to
hum this melody weaving words into a romantic song. At the top of the pali,
a cloud hung over the mountain peak and slowly floated down Nu`uanu
Valley. The queen continued to hum and completed her song as they rode the
winding trail down the valley back to Honolulu.
Another story tells of the Queen witnessing the forced
farewell between two lovers - one a royalty and one a commoner.
The tune of the verse resembles "The Rock Beside the
Sea", composed by Charles Crozat Converse and published in Philadephia,
1857. The melody of the chorus is remarkably close to the chorus of George
F. Root's composition, "There's Music In The Air", published in
1854.
Part of this song is sung in part by older sister Nani in Disney's "Lilo and
Stitch".
This page is part of the "Lost Hymns Project"
by Bruce T. Forbes