Memories For Kele
Kamoamoa was an old Hawaiian Fishing village located along the Kalapana coast of Puna within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The National Park created a beautiful camp ground with in the ruins of this old village. The entire camp ground was protected by large Lama trees and the ground was covered with Lawaʻe fern. In the evenings the sweet Maile like sent of the Lawaʻe would permeate the entire camp ground. This song was written for our oldest son Kele. The English translation is not a word for word translation. Many times there are no English word that match the Hawaiian so English phrases are used to try to capture the Hawaiian meaning.
Palulu ka ulu lama
I ka makani
Na ulu ho’omalu
Mai ka la
Moani ke ala
O na lawa’e
Ho Anu ahiahi
I Kamoamoa
E u wa’a ke one ele’ele
E uhai na ulili
He wa poinaole
No keiki Kele
Pae mai na nalu
I Kamoamoa
Hele ka ehu kai
Ho’oma’u e Kele
Hele kaua I ke ala hele
A po’e kahiko
Koino welo
I na koena
Aole e a pau
I kamoamoa
E huna pa’a ia
E ka wahine
Haina ia mai
Ana kapuna
E mau halia aloha
I Kamoamoa
Wa poina ole
No Keiki Kele
E mau halia aloha
Memories for Kele
The grove of Lama trees provide protection
From the wind
The tree grove provided shade
From the Sun
The sweet smell
of Lawaʻe fern
is in the cool evening air
of Kamoamoa
Digging trenches in the black sand
Chasing the Ulili birds
It is a time without any problems
for young Kele
The oceans waves break on the shore
of Kamoamoa
The sea spray
Gets Kele very wet
We travel the trails
of the people of old
going through
the remains (of the village)
It is all gone
Kamoamoa
Covered and hidden
by the woman
Tell the story
of fond memories
of Kamoamoa
Donʻt forget these times
for child Kele
Forever lasting memories
Memories for Kele
Kamoamoa camp ground was one of my favorite camp grounds when I was a child. Theold stone house platforms, stone walls, walking trails and canoe landing were fun to explore.
After Jody and I got married I learned that her parent would also take her to Kamoamoa to go camping. So when we had our first child Kele, we took him camping at Kamoamoa.
Around 1988 lava flows flowing into the ocean at Pūlama, down the coast from here, created sand that was transported to Kamoamao where it created a beautiful black sand beach about 50 yards wide and 200 yards long.
We would take Kele , who was 2 years old at the time along the old village trails and onto the black sand beach where he would dig in the black sand. We would also chase the Ulili brids that would walk along the high wash of the waves on the sand looking for food.
In 1989 a lava flow (the woman ref Pele) from the Puʻu ʻOʻo eruption covered Kamoamoa destroying everything there leaving us only memories. I decided to write this song for Kele.