Royal Anthems: He Mele Lahui Hawaii & Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī

Flag of Hawaii

Not many people know that the 
​State of Hawaii was its own
independent kingdom from 1795 to
1893. During that time Hawaii used
​four royal anthems.

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The first anthem used was God Save the King. It served as
the kingdom's anthem from its early days until 1860. King
Kamehameha IV wished to have Hawaiian lyrics set to the
music of God Save the King. In 1860 he sponsored a contest to
find new lyrics. The winning entry was submitted by Prince
William Charles Lunalilo (who would himself be king from
1873-1874). It purportedly only took him 20 minutes. The
composition was called E Ola Ke Alii Ke Akua which roughly
translates to 'God Save the King'. The lyrics of the new royal
anthem mirrored the old one closely.

He Mele Lahui Hawaii (1866-1876)

In 1866 King Kamehameha V noted that Hawaii did not have
its own 'national air' like other nations and asked Lydia
Kamakaʻeha (who would later reign as Queen Liliʻuokalani
from 1891-1893) to compose a new anthem. The result was
​He Mele Lahui Hawaii. The lyrics are below:

Hawaiian
​​Ka Makua mana loa
Maliu mai iā mākou
E hāliu aku nei
Me ka naʻau haʻahaʻa
E mau ka maluhia
O nei pae ʻāina
Mai Hawaiʻi a Niʻihau
Ma lalo o kou malu

E mau ke ea o ka ʻāina
Ma kou pono mau
A ma kou mana nui
E ola e ola ka mōʻī

E ka haku mālama mai
​I ko mākou nei mōʻī
E mau kona noho ʻana
Maluna o ka noho aliʻi
Hāʻawi mai i ke aloha
Maloko a kona naʻau
A ma kou ahonui
E ola e ola ka mōʻī
Hoʻoho e mau ke

Ma lalo o kou aloha nui
Nā Liʻi o ke Aupuni
Me nā makaʻāinana
Ka lehulehu nō a pau
Kiaʻi mai iā lākou
Me ke aloha ahonui
E ola nō mākou
I kou mana mau
​E mau ke ea

English
​Almighty Father bend thine ear
And listen to a nation's prayer
That lowly bows before thy throne
And seeks thy fostering care
Grant your peace throughout the land
Over these sunny sea girt isles
Keep the nation's life, oh Lord,
And on our sovereign smile
   
Grant your peace throughout the land
Over these sunny isles
Keep the nations life, oh Lord
And upon our sovereign smile
   
Guard him with your tender care
Give him length of years to reign
On the throne his fathers won
Bless the nation once again
Give the king your loving grace
And with wisdom from on high
Prosperous lead his people on
As beneath your watchful eye
Grant your peace throughout the land
   
Bless O Lord our country's chiefs
Grant them wisdom so to live
That our people may be saved
And to You the glory give
Watch over us day by day
King and people with your love
For our hope is all in You
Bless us, You who reign above
Grant your peace throughout the land​

Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī (1876-1893)

In 1876 yet another musically-inclined monarch changed the
royal anthem. King David Kalākaua wrote the lyrics while the
tune was composed by Captain Henri Berger, the king's Royal
Bandmaster. This anthem would outlive the kingdom and is
today played immediately after the US National Anthem.
The lyrics are below:

Hawaiian                                      English
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī,                                Hawaiʻi's own true son,
Nānā i kou mōʻī,                              Be loyal to your king,
Kalani aliʻi,                                        Your country's liege and lord
Ke aliʻi.                                               The chief.
  
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī,                                Hawaiʻi's own true sons,
Nānā i nā aliʻi,                                  Look to your chiefs,
Nā pua muli kou,                             The children after you,
Nā pōkiʻi.                                           The young.
  
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī,                                Hawaiʻi's own true sons,
E ka lāhui ē,                                      People of loyal heart,
ʻO kāu hana nui                               The only duty lies
E ui ē.                                                 Listen and abide.

Makua lani ē,                                    Father above us all,
Kamehameha ē,                               Kamehameha,
Na kaua e pale,                                Who guarded in the war,
Me ka ihe.                                         With his spear.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour