[This old love song may have been taken from a mele by Kauanuaulu Waili'ula. The pupu lei of Niihau is the most prized shell lei of Hawaii. The true Niihau shell is the small Kahelelani named for the benevolent chief of this island. The Kahelelani comes in brown, yellow, white, spreckled, red and pink; red and pink being the rarest and most valuable. The larger shells Momiokai (white), Lenalena (yellow), Onikiniki (spreckled), Laiki (rice shell), Uliuli (blue), Kahakaha (golden striped) are also used for leis. They are strung into lei styles called tutu, kanelii (man's lei), poepoe, poleholeho, hale, pololei (sweetheart or wedding) and pikake.]
(F G7 C7 F) (f g a g f c; c# d < bb a f d-c; c d e c b bb; c e g f-e-f)
F
Püpü 'o Ni'ihau Shells of Ni'ihau
G7
Auhea 'oe Where are you?
C7
Ho'ike a'e 'oe Display
F
I kou nani Your beauty [I = aye]
(F G7 C7 F)
Ka moena PA[v]ahe The fine woven mats (of Ni'ihau)
He'e iko ili Resemble the skin of the squid
[I] pumeHAna like a'i Clean and made with much aloha
Ho'i kaua Come, it is for the two of us
Kaua naulu
Noho i ka uka
Ho'opulu ana 'oe
I ka palai
He aku no wau When I call
E o mai oe You must answer
Pupu o Ni'ihau Shells of Ni'ihau
Auhea 'oe Where are you?
Ha'ina 'ia mai Tell the story
Ana kapuana About
Pupu 'o Ni'ihau The shells of Niihau
Auhea 'oe Where are you?
[OMITA INFRA]
He nani hiehie An elegant beauty
'Oi kelakela Held supreme
Ka 'i'ini nui ia It's the greatest desire
O ku'u pu'uwai Of my heart
Ho mai kou aloha Your love is drawn here
A pili me a'u Cling to me
I ko'olua noho Just to be alone
Kahi mehameha In each other's presence
I luna maua We two were
A'o Ha'upu In the heights of Haupu
'Upu a'e ke aloha Love surges
Nou e ka ipo Only for you
E ka wai huna ho'i
Aka pao'o
O ka wai kaulana
Ana kupuna
E kanalu hai mai
A'o Ohia
Me na ulu hua noho
Ika Hapapa
Aia ia kuhai
Moana kau aloha
Me ka paepae kapu
A Hi'iaka