Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'

Subject: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Haruo
Date: 22 May 05 - 04:24 PM

I'm rather amazed to see how little mention Liliuokalani receives in the whole Mudcat corpus. Only two mentions in the forum (both by me!) and none of her texts (or tunes).

My immediate interest is in determining vowel length in the text of her "O kou aloha no". The Cyber Hymnal has silly little almost invisible, oddly off-center diareses (umlauts) over some of the vowels, which I'm thinking may be an attempt to render macrons. The long vowels in Hawai'ian are supposed to be written with macrons: â ç î ô û (we'll just see if those make it through the wringer!).

I'd also like to know if there's a singing version in English. The only English translation I've seen (in the New Century Hymnal at #580; anonymous) is not at all adaptable to the tune:

Your love is in heaven and your truth so perfect. I live in sorrow imprisoned; you are my light, your glory my support. Behold not with malevolence the sins of humankind, but forgive and cleanse. And so, O Lord, beneath your wings be our peace forever more.

The song was written during Liliuokalani's imprisonment following her deposition by American planters in 1893 and the abortive attempt at reinstatement in 1894.

But I really am astounded that at the very least "Aloha 'Oe" and/or its English version "Farewell to thee" isn't in the DT.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Haruo
Date: 22 May 05 - 04:27 PM

Sure enough, the shredder attacked the macrons.

Circumflexes are probably the best way to communicate.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Peace
Date: 22 May 05 - 04:34 PM

Link to a forum here.

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Peace
Date: 22 May 05 - 04:36 PM

"Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen", by Liliuokalani. 1898, 1990.
Queen Liliuokalani's plea for justice during the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy.

Subject: ADD: Ke Aloha O Ka Haku (Queen's Prayer)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 May 05 - 06:04 PM

Lyr. Add: Ke Aloha O Ka Haku
(Queen's Prayer; Lili' uokalani

'O kou aloha nô
Aia i ka lani
A'o Kou 'oia 'i'o
He hemolelo ho'i

Ko'u noho mihi 'ana
A pa'ahao 'ia
'O 'oe ku'u lama
Kou nani ko'u ko'o

Mai nânâ 'ino'ino
Nâ hewa o kânaka
Akä e huikala
A ma'ema'e nô

No laila e ka Haku
Ma lalo o kou 'eheu
Kô mâkou maluhia
A mau loa aku nô

'Âmene

Composed by Queen Lili'uokalani March 22, 1895, while she was under house arrest at Iolani Palace. This hymn was dedicated to Victoria Ka'iulani, heir apparent to the throne.
Several names have been applied to the hymn; The MS has three titles writen on it: Lili'uokalani's Prayer; Ke Aloka O Ka Haku; and The Lord's Mercy. Most commonly used is "The Queen's Prayer.

The circumflex is used in place of the macron, which strangely is not in the html accepted characters, although it is required for Japanese and other transliterations. ' is used for the glottal stop. The umlaut a in verse 3 may be an error for the macron a.

Your loving mercy
Is as high as Heaven
And your truth so perfect

I live in sorrow
Imprisoned
You are my light
Your Glory, my support

Behold not with malevolence
The sins of man
But forgive
And cleanse

And so, O Lord
Protect us beneath your wings
And let peace be our portion
Now and forever more

Amen

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 May 05 - 06:17 PM

Correction to 2nd line, verse 4:
Ma lalo o kou êheu
(I left out the macron over the e in the last word.

This and other songs of Queen Lili'uokalani are found at Huapala.org:
Queen's Prayer

At the time she was overthrown, the Queen belonged to the Anglican Church, having abandoned the missionaries' faith, although I understand she still supported their church in Honolulu.

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 May 05 - 11:26 PM

I have never heard the song in English.
I listened to the one recording of the song that I have, which sounds nothing like the midi at Cyberhymnal.
Some vowels are held, but seldom the vowels with macron, which are, of course, pronounced clearly; a macron does not indicate a held note. Only the first two verses are sung in this track.
"The Best of Emma," a collection of 25 Hawai'ian Classics. Singer Emma Veary, from recordings made in the 1960s and 1970s. The Mountain Apple Company, Honolulu, 1996, produced by Jack de Mello, MACD 2034. It is out-of-print.
Another cd with words to the hymn is "Classic Hula," by Darlene Ahuna, which seems to be out-of-print.

I found two others, but they are instrumental only.

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Haruo
Date: 23 May 05 - 02:15 AM

Another macron test: ā ē ī ō ū

(Using html-style numerical aliases instead of cut-and-paste)

Haruo

Subject: Lyr Corr: 'O kou aloha n쳌ô
From: Haruo
Date: 23 May 05 - 02:23 AM

There now; that looks better. The numerical aliases are 257, 275, 299, 333 and 363 respectively (minus one for the corresponding upper-case).

---

Ke Aloha O Ka Haku
Queen Lili'uokalani

'O kou aloha nō
Aia i ka lani
A'o Kou 'oia 'i'o
He hemolelo ho'i

Ko'u noho mihi 'ana
A pa'ahao 'ia
'O 'oe ku'u lama
Kou nani ko'u ko'o

Mai nānā 'ino'ino
Nā hewa o kānaka
Akā e huikala
A ma'ema'e nō

No laila e ka Haku
Ma lalo o kou 'ēheu
Kō mākou maluhia
A mau loa aku nō

Āmene

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Haruo
Date: 23 May 05 - 02:09 PM

The cover of the original sheet music (but alas not the innards) is at hulapages.com, here.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 May 05 - 03:21 PM

Thanks for the HTML macroni.
My list stopped at 255; I will look for the updated listings.

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: Haruo
Date: 23 May 05 - 03:49 PM

I have the ones I use most often on a page in my website; you're welcome to use it if you find it more convenient than the more authoritative sources. It's good for the next tier of European letters (for Polish, Esperanto, Hungarian, Turkish etc.) and for Cyrillic and Greek (as long as you don't want accents).

Leland's Unicode HTML alias list

I do not know if they will survive harvesting into the DT, however.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: GUEST,TMTulio
Date: 25 Feb 14 - 11:51 PM

Does anyone have the Ukulele chords to O Kou Aloha No, by Queen Liliuokalani?
Thanks if you do!

Subject: RE: Liliuokalani's 'O kou aloha no'
From: kendall
Date: 11 Jan 18 - 10:17 PM

I learned this song when I was in grammar school. I've always loved it, but cant find the lyrics in English. I remember a verse from my boyhood, and I would be so grateful for the rest of it.

I met a lady from Hawaii, and as we talked she was amazed at the history I knew and what happened to the Queen. When I sang the first verse of Aloha OE, her eyes lit up like torches.