Synopsis: The finalists of the Ho’okūkū Mele A Mo’olelo, Poetry and Story Competition, are now online. Go to www.hawaiianliterature.com to listen to and vote for your favorite video. The winners will be announced in the beginning of September.

Welina e nā makamaka heluhelu. I ka nānā ‘ana mai i ke po’o mana’o e kau a’ela i luna, e hao mai ana paha nā nīnau? ‘O wai ia mau mele hou, a ‘o wai ho’i ia mau mo’olelo hou? Ma ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i paha a ma ka namu haole paha? Ma ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i nō, a ma muli ia o ka Ho’okūkū Mele A Mo’olelo. ‘O ka makamua ia o nei ho’okūkū. A e ho’omau ‘ia aku paha ma kēia hope aku. Akā, he mea maika’i ia no ka ho’omāhuahua ‘ana i nā mele a me nā mo’olelo ma ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i, a pēlā pū me ka ho’oulu ‘ana aku i ke kanaka e haku mele a e kākau paha i mo’olelo ma ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i.

‘O ka nui o nā moho i komo ma ka māhele haku mele a me ka māhele kākau mo’olelo, ‘a’ole i hō’ike ‘ia. Ma ka māhele haku mele, ‘o ka nui o nā moho i koe, he ‘ehiku, ‘o Herman Ka’imiloa Marciel, nāna ‘o Nā Wai Pana a’o Kailua, ‘o Jacob Hau’oli Elarco, nāna ‘o Ka Pua Siale, ‘o Liko Puha, nāna ‘o Hiehie ‘o Pāhala, ‘o Kaiponohea Hale, nāna ‘o Ka La’i o Nu’uanu, ‘o Mi’ilani Yoshiko Cooper, nāna ‘o No Kala’iuluwehi Ke Aloha, ‘o J. Hau’oli Akaka, nāna ‘o Kīpuka Maluhia, ‘o Kapō Ku, nāna ‘o Nā Mākana, ‘o J. Hau’oli Akaka, nāna ‘o Kauikeaolanamālie, ‘o Hualani Alford, nāna ‘o He mele no Pōlea, ‘o Collette L. Akana, nāna nā mele, ‘o Pā Mai Ka Lā, ‘o Kilakila ke Kuahiwi, ‘o Nani Wale Ka Wena O Ka ‘Alihi, ‘o He Malihini Mākou, a ‘o He Mele no Moana. Ma ka māhele kākau mo’olelo, he ‘ehā moho i koe, ‘o Devin Kamealoha Forrest, a ‘o He Ka’ao no Kūwiliwilimakani ka mo’olelo, ‘o Manakō Tanaka, a ‘o He Weli Ko Ke Kai ka mo’olelo, ‘o Vanessa Lee-Miller, a ‘o Ka ‘Āina Lē’ia ka mo’olelo, a ‘o Jon Yasuda, a ‘o Ke Kumu Wai Ola ka mo’olelo. Na nā luna loiloi e koho i nā lanakila. Akā, ma ka māhele wikiō mele, na ka lehulehu e koho i ka lanakila. A no laila, e nānā a e ho’olohe in ā wikiō e kau ana. He nui nā mele i ho’okomo ‘ia i ka ho’okūkū haku mele, akā, he ‘eono wale nō o lākou i ho’okomo ‘ia i loko o kēia māhele. A he ‘umi kumamākahi lā e koho pāloka ai. E koho pāloka.

Aloha ‘Āina. Ma Maui, ‘ākoakoa aku nei kānaka, he mau haneli paha, ma ka Pā ‘o Maui Waena a ma ke Ala ‘o Crater no ke kūpa’a ‘ana ma hope o ka ‘āina. He mau kānaka aloha ‘āina nō lākou, a wahi a Kaho’okahi Kanuha, kekahi o nā Hawai’i Alaka’i, no nā māka’i, “Aia mākou i laila me ka lei lā’ī. A aia kā lākou ala e komo ana i ka pa’a lole ho’omalu haunaele, me he mea lā, e hele ana lākou i ke kaua.” He hana ho’oweliweli ‘i’o nō kā nā māka’i. ‘O ka nīnau nui, no ke aha lā lākou e ho’oweliweli ai i ua mau kānaka aloha ‘āina nei. Ma ke Kapu Aloha nō ka hana ma ke kūpa’a ‘ana ma hope o ka ‘āina, a pēlā ihola ka hana a nā māka’i o Maui? He keu aku nō! Mahalo nui i ka po’e aloha ‘āina i hiki aku i laila no ka hō’ike ‘ana aku i ko lakou aloha ‘āina a me ke kūpa’a ‘ana, a pēlā pū ka mahalo i ka po’e i hopu ‘ia aku nei no ka pono o ka ‘āina.

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.