ʻĀpuatea

This poem was written in celebration of Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian Language Month, in the Niʻihau dialect. Translation provided below.

ʻĀpuatea

Ua hele mai ta ua

ta ua nui

ta ua nui

i tapa ʻia iā ʻĀpuatea

he inoa wahine ʻo ia

he inoa ua ʻo ia

no laila

ua hele au i ta malu o te tumu lāʻau

ua hele atu au i lalo i te tumu lāʻau manatō

he tumu nui

ua ʻite au i tētahi wahine

e tū ana i ta ua nui

ʻO ʻĀpuatea tona inoa

He wahine uʻi

nona ta uʻi lite ʻole

he ua uʻi

nona ta uʻi lite ʻole.

(Translation)

The rain came

the big rain

the big rain

called ʻĀpuatea

It’s a woman’s name

and a rain name

So I sought shelter

under the protection

of a tree

a huge mango tree

I saw a woman

standing in the big rain

her name was ʻĀpuatea

She was a beautiful woman

whose beauty was

like no other

a beautiful rain

whose beauty

was like no other.