Mecha Kumu - Da Konohiki (Ahupuaʻa) Intro E nā mamo o ka ʻāina, e hoʻolohe mai Mai uka a i kai, he moʻolelo kēia No ka ʻāina, no ke kai, no ke kanaka E hoʻolohe i ka leo o ka konohiki Verse 1 Yo, back in da day, no ahupuaʻa, no line ʻOhana ruled da land, everything was fine Small kine groups, living off da land But moʻ people came, had to make one plan Resources tight, gotta manage right No can just take, gotta share da light Konohiki rise, manage da flow From mauka to makai, let da ʻāina grow Da konohiki stands, a steward wise, Eyes on the land, and stars in the skies. Guardian of streams, of fields, and tide, They serve the chief, with truth as guide. They know each boundary, every line— The palena, drawn by hand divine. Not walls to break, but marks to share, So all may live with rightful care. Chorus Ahupuaʻa, from mountain to sea Sustaining life, for you and me Konohiki guiding, with wisdom and care Ensuring resources, always there Verse 2 Born where da sacred echo loud — Kukaniloko stone, Where ali‘iwahine bring life to da throne. Maʻilikukahi neva chase war, chase mind, He chase order, no shame fo’ redefine. Oahu, fractured, ali‘ibeefin’ all kine, He stepped in, pulled thread like a loom line. Didn’t make da ahupuaʻa, but he laid ‘em straight, Marked every palena—no room fo’ hate. Not just stream to sea, that’s colonial lens, He saw da ʻili ʻāina twist like bends. Through gulch and ridge, da line made sense, Palena was pulse—yeah, governance intense. Dividin’ lands not for greed or wealth, But so da makaʻāinana could thrive wit’ health. System was kuleana, aloha, tight lei, Fed da ʻāina, da ʻāina feed ‘em every day. He listen to kahuna, not act on pride, Truths hidden in stars, in da tide. From Koʻolau down to ʻEwa plains, Palena bring peace, like soft ua rains. Chorus Ahupuaʻa, from mountain to sea Sustaining life, for you and me Konohiki guiding, with wisdom and care Ensuring resources, always there Verse 3 Over da pali, Lahaina sleepin’ in light, Kakaʻalaneo rise wit’ da dawn's bite. West Maui king, more than just ali‘i, He was architect of rhythm, kuleana pili. He neva copy, he innovate wit’ style, Pulled Maui tight like a fresh-cut ʻupena file. Had Kalaihaʻōhia, kahuna brain sharp, Wit’ line work cleaner than tapa on bark. ʻAuwai carved like veins through da land, Taro drank deep from kahuna hand. He neva just rule from da hale ali‘i, He walk da loʻi banks, hear da ʻeleu plea. No one hungry, not if system work, Konohiki keepin’ track, no time fo’ shirk. Dis one plant taro, dat one build canoe, Dis one catch fish, da network grew. Palena set like verse in a chant, Boundaries made wit’ care, not just grant. Ahupuaʻa breathe wit’ flow and tide, Sustainin’ da lāhui on every side. His moku was a puzzle where each piece fit, Where ali‘i, kahuna, makaʻāinana sit. No maka’āinana left lost or lone, ʻCause even da sea got boundaries of stone. Chorus Ahupuaʻa, from mountain to sea Sustaining life, for you and me Konohiki guiding, with wisdom and care Ensuring resources, always there Verse 4 Waipiʻo cradle, ʻUmi raised in da mist, Son of Līloa, born wit’ ali‘i twist. Wore da malo of justice, quiet but fierce, Heart tuned to da land, truth he pierced. No keiki o ka ʻāina get left in da dust, He traveled island-wide, earned da trust. Took da crown not by war alone, But by binding da people to da stone. He neva sit pretty, neva play elite, ʻUmi built hale for da old, brought food to da street. Konohiki got tasks, makaʻāinana got voice, Ahupuaʻa flowin’—his ultimate choice. His palena stretch from snow to reef, Keʻei to Hāmākua, bringin’ relief. He learn da signs, he mark da stars, Each ahupuaʻa line, a healing scar. Taro root in da loʻi, fish net in da bay, ʻUmi made sure every house could pray. Da system was alive—like moʻo in da stream, You break da line, you break da dream. Even da gods nod when ʻUmi walk, ʻCause his leadership wasn’t just talk. He tied da moku wit’ sacred cord, Makaʻāinana rose, Lono restored. Chorus Konohiki guiding, with wisdom and care Ensuring resources, always there Ahupuaʻa, from mountain to sea Sustaining life, for you and me Verse 5 But da borders move when da power shift, Some went hūngry when da dues went lift. Was all ’bout balance, but not always fair, Only work if da aliʻi stay care. Dey tink I just count fish, stack poi in da pot, But I see da system — mo’ than what you thought. Ahupuaʻa no just lines, no map kine trap, It’s aloha in motion, one natural rap. Mauka give life, makai go catch, Clouds feed da trees, forest stay match. Streams gotta flow, no just fo’ me — But fo’ all da keiki, all da ʻāina family. Balance — dat’s my kuleana, my style, I listen da land, ocean talk all da while. I no own da ʻāina — I take care wit’ heart, Konohiki stay servin’, play one real part. No ’bout power, no need da pride, Is how we leave da moʻolelo inside. Da ʻāina remembah how we live dis day, So I walk pono, all da way. Mauka feed da stream, makai feed da reef, Each place get one kuleana, no room fo’ thief. Kalo stay grow where da watah run clean, Loko iʻa full when da ocean stay green. Take what you need, but give back wit’ care, Ahupuaʻa strong 'cause da mana stay dea. One system fo’ balance, not made fo’ greed, Just enough — dat’s all we need. Mai uka i kai, ka wai e holo, Ka ʻāina hānai, ka poʻe e noho. I ka loʻi kalo, he wai ʻawaʻawa ʻole, Ma loko iʻa, he kai momona hoʻi. E hāʻawi me ka lokomaikaʻi, e mālama hoʻi, Hoʻoponopono ʻia, he mana ka ʻoi. He ʻōnaehana kuʻikahi, ʻaʻole no ka pākīkē, Pono ka lawa – ʻaʻole no ka nui wale nō. Maʻilikūkahi drew the lines, Kakaʻalaneo kept the signs. ʻUmi-a-Līloa made the call, Ahupuaʻa fed us all. Outro E ola ka ʻāina, e ola nā kānaka Ka pili ʻuhane o ke kai a me ka ʻāina No fo’get — we part of da flow, From da clouds to da reef, das how we grow. Ahupuaʻa — mo’ than one name, It’s how we live, not just one game. So mālama ʻāina, mālama da way, So da keiki can thrive one mo’ day. E ola, e ola, e ola ka ʻāina E ola, e ola, e ola nā kānaka
