Kuʻu Lei Pua Nani - John Almeida

Kuʻu ipo, kuʻu lei, kuʻu milimili
Kuʻulei pua nani lei hoʻohie
He aloha ʻoe ua hiʻipoi ʻia

A he mea nui naʻu na ka mākua.
He uʻi he nohea i kuʻu maka
He aloha i pili ʻia i ka puʻuwai
Ka maile lau liʻi lau onaona

Ko wehi hoʻoheno ulumāhiehie.
Hea aku mākou ō mai ʻoe
Kuʻulei pua nani lei hoʻohie

My sweetheart, my lei, my caressable one
Kuʻulei, a flower so beautiful, so flirtatious, so graceful.
You are my beloved one, my cherished one

You are so dear to me, your parent
You are very pretty to the eyes,
You are the love of my heart
You are like the maile, so dainty and fragrant

So lovely to see
We call to her and she answers, “Yes,”
Kuʻulei, like a beautiful flower, so flirtatious, so graceful

Source: R. Chong (nephew of Ku`ulei Clark) - John K. Almeida, the gifted blind composer and musician, composed this song in the, late 1950s for Kuʻulei Clarke, the hula instructor. Kuʻulei Clarke taught hula for so many years in the Aiea to Pearl City area on the island of Oʻahu. She even went as far as ʻEwa to hold classes. She started to teach hula about 1936, and has credited Keaka Kanahele, Joseph Ilalaole and John K. Almeida, as those who have instructed and encouraged her. The translation was given by the composer, John K. Almeida.