Hawaii has a national anthem as well as a state anthem (or state song). The national anthem of Hawaii is the “The Star Spangled Banner”. Hawai’i Pono’i is the state anthem. This song was the fourth national anthem of Hawaii, before it became a US state.
About Hawai’i Pono’i
Hawai’i Pono’i translates as “Hawaiʻi’s own true sons”, and the lyrics were written in 1874 by King David Kalākaua. Hawaii legislature proclaimed Hawai`i Pono`i the state anthem in 1967.
Hawai’i Pono’i lyrics
Nânâ i kou mô`î
Ka lani ali`i,
Ke ali`iHui:
Makua lani ê,
Kamehameha ê,
Na kaua e pale,
Me ka ihe Hawai`i pono`î
Nânâ i nâ ali`i
Nâ pua muli kou
Nâ pôki`i Hawai`i pono`î
E ka lâhui e
`O kâu hana nui
E u`iê
Be loyal to your chief
Your country’s liege and lord
The chief Chorus:
Royal father
Kamehameha
Shall defend in war
With spearsHawaii`s own true sons
Look to your chief
Those chiefs of younger birth
Younger descentHawaii`s own true sons
People of loyal heart
The only duty lies
List and abide
Listen to Hawai’i Pono’i , the Hawaii state anthem:
You can listen to Hawai’i Pono’i in the following video:
The History of Hawaii’s four National Anthems
The history of Hawaii’s National Anthems starts in 1860. Before this year, the kingdom of Hawaii did not have its own anthem, but used the British royal anthem “God Save The King”.
1860 – 1866: E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua
E Ola Ka Mōʻī i Ke Akua or E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua: The first Hawaiian National Anthem. Ka Nūpepa Kūʻokoʻa. Reprinted. Jan. 7, 1871
In 1860, Kamehameha IV organized a contest to replace the British royal anthem with a song with Hawaiian lyrics set to the tune of “God Save The King”. The winning entry of this contest was E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua, translated as God Save the King [lyrics on wikipedia].
By tradition, the author, Prince William Charles Lunalilo (later King Lunalilo), composed the song in 20 minutes. He received USD 10 as a reward.
E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua was replaced 6 years later by Queen Liliʻuokalani’s composition “He Mele Lahui Hawaii”.
1866 – 1876: He Mele Lahui Hawaii
Cover of the Hawaiian anthem between 1866 and 1876: “He Mele Lahui Hawaii” (“The Song of the Hawaiian Nation”). Published in 1872 by H.M.Whitney in Honolulu, Hawai`i
King Kamehameha V wanted to replace the translated British anthem with a song that had Hawaiian words and origins. The new song “He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi” (“The Song of the Hawaiian Nation”) was composed in 1866 by queen Lili’uokalani.
The lyrics of this song praise the Hawaiian Islands. It asks the lord for a blessing of the land, it’s people, chiefs, and king. You can read a part of the song lyrics in Hawaiian (left) and translated to English (right) below. [Lyrics for the complete song]
Hawaii used this anthem for ten years, until Liliʻuokalani’s brother replaced it with his own composition “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī”.
| E mau ke ea o ka `âina Ma kou pono mau A ma kou mana nui E ola e ola ka mô`î | Grant your peace throughout the land Over these sunny isles Keep the nation’s life, oh Lord And upon our sovereign smile |
1876 – now: Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī
King David Kalākaua wrote the words of Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī, and the music was composed by his royal bandmaster.
King David, “the merry monarch,” loved the joyful side of life, and he revived hula during his reign. The yearly merry monarch festival [wikipedia] on Hawaii was named after king David Kalākaua.
Hawai’i Pono’i was the adopted song of the Territory of Hawaiʻi, and later became the state anthem by an act of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 1967.