King Kalakaua, author of the anthem's lyrics. |
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State anthem of Hawaiʻi |
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| Lyrics | King David Kalākaua, 1874 |
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| Music | Captain Henri Berger |
| Adopted | 1967 |
Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī is the state song and former national anthem of Hawaiʻi. The words were written in 1874 by King David Kalākaua with music composed by Captain Henri Berger, then the king's royal bandmaster. Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī was one of the national anthems of the Republic of Hawaiʻi and the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, having replaced Liliuokalani's compostition He Mele Lahui Hawaii. It was the adopted song of the Territory of Hawaiʻi before becoming the state symbol by an act of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 1967. The melody is reminiscent of God Save the Queen and the Prussian Hymne, Heil dir im Siegerkranz.
In the Hawaiian language, Hawaiʻi ponoʻī means "Hawaiʻi's own".
| Hawaiian | English |
| Hawaiʻi ponoʻī, | Hawaiʻi's own true sons, |
| Nānā i kou moʻī, | 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 lahui ē, | People of loyal heart, |
| ʻO kāu hana nui | The only duty lies |
| E ui ē. | List and abide. |
| Hui: | Chorus: |
| Makua lani ē, | Father above us all, |
| Kamehameha ē, | Kamehameha e, |
| Na kaua e pale, | Who guarded in the war, |
| Me ka ihe. | With his spear. |
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| Preceded by He Mele Lahui Hawaii |
National Anthem of the Kingdom of Hawaii 1876-1893 |
Monarchy abolished |
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