“Maika`i Ka Makani O Kohala” Slack Key Guitar

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Maika’i Ka Makani O Kohala played in Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar. (Recorded Jan 2020)

The name “Maika’i Ka Makani O Kohala” means “Good are the winds of Kohala”. This strong wind blows harshly over the district of Kohala on the Big Island of Hawai’i. But although its gusts may be powerful, there is a beauty that sometimes goes unseen. The lyrics to the song also tell of the areas Niuli’i and Hāpu’u. Sometimes the song also goes by the name “Ka Inuwai”(named after the wind itself).

The words to this song secretly tell of 3 sisters who are symbolized by clouds. This is actually a love song, and one of the clouds is the lover of the composer. The hala trees in the song block the composers view of her home.

This song was performed by many Hawaiian musicians, but most notably on the Sunday Manoa album “Guava Jam”.

Tuning is in Taropatch



Lyrics:
Maikaʻi ka makani o Kohala
ʻIke ʻia e ka Inuwai
ʻO ka wai nō ia pono kāua
Wai kaulana o ka ʻāina

(Chorus)
Ko aloha, ko aloha kaʻu mea nui
He makana, he makana na ka puʻuwai
Ko aloha, ko aloha kaʻu mea nui
He makana, he makana na ka puʻuwai

Nani wale Niuliʻi kāhela i ka laʻi
ʻEkolu ʻōpua i hiki mai
Ālaʻi ʻia mai e ka ulu hala
Nalowale ka luna o Hāpuʻu

ʻElua māua i ka holo i ka lio
Kāohi ʻia mai e Pololū
Mea ʻole ka piʻina aʻo Kupehau
Ahuwale nā lehua o ʻAwini

Haʻaheo ka hau i ka mauna
Kahiko i ka ohu o ka nahele
E ka oni mai nei lilinoe
I ka ʻohu noe i ke kuahiwi

Ana ʻole ka makani iā Kohala
Holohia a ka ua Naulu
Aia ka luana i Makapala
I ka hea mai a Niuliʻi

Nê hone ka leo o ka wai
Hana pono i ka poli o ka ʻiwa
Kuʻu ʻiwa kuʻu lei kāhiko ia
Na pua lehua i ʻAwini


(English Translation)
Good are the winds of Kohala
Known as the Drinking Water
The water that is good for the two of us
The famous water of the land

(Chorus)
Your love, your love is a great thing to me
A gift, a gift for the heart
Your love, your love is a great thing to me
A gift, a gift for the heart

The splendor of Niuliʻi sprawling peacefully
Three clouds approach
Gently settling there at the hala grove
Hiding the top of Hāpuʻu

Two of us go horseback riding
Restraining there at Pololu
The climb was nothing up Kupehau
A cloak of lehua over ʻAwini

Proud is the hau in the mountain
Adorned over by the forest
The mist moves about
The misty rain enshrouds the mountains

Boundless is the wind of Kohala
Mingled with the Naulu rain
Rest will be found at Makapala
When the Niuliʻi calls an invitation

Pleasant is the murmur of water
Refreshing among the ferns
My ferns, my adorning lei
Entwined with the lehua of ʻAwini