E Ola Ke Alii Ke Akua

E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua
English: God Save the King

National anthem of  Kingdom of Hawaii


Lyrics Lunalilo
Music Same as God Save the Queen
Adopted 1860
Relinquished 1866
Lunalilo wrote the lyrics for Hawaii's first national anthem.

E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua, translated as God Save the King, was one of Hawaii's four national anthems. It was composed in 1860 by Prince William Charles Lunalilo, who later became King Lunalilo. Prior to 1860, the Kingdom of Hawaii lacked its own national anthem and had used the British royal anthem God Save The King. A contest was sponsored in 1860 by Kamehameha IV, who wanted a song with Hawaiian lyrics set to the tune of the British anthem. The winning entry was written by the 25-year-old Lunalilo and was reputed to have been written in 20 minutes. Lunalilo was awarded 10 dollars, which later donated to the Queen's Hospital. His composition became Hawaii's first national anthem.[1][2][3] It remained Hawaii's national anthem until 1866, when it was replaced by Queen Liliʻuokalani's composition He Mele Lahui Hawaii.

E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua

Ke Akua Mana Mau Eternal, mighty God
Hoʻomaikaʻi, pōmaikaʻi Bless us from your bright abode
I ka mōʻī Our sovereign king
Kou lima mana mau May your all powerful arm
Mālama kiaʻi mai Ward from our sire all harm
Ko mākou nei mōʻī Let no vile foe alarm
Ē ola ē Long may he reign
   
Ka inoa kamahaʻo Royal distinguished name
Lei nani o mākou Our beauteous diadem
Ē ola ē Long life be yours
Kou ʻēheu uhi mai Thy wing spread over our land
Pale nā ʻino e From every foe defend
Kā mākou pule no To you our prayers ascend
Ē ola ē Long live our king
   
I mua ou mākou Before Thee
Ke aliʻi o nā Aliʻi King of Kings
E aloha mai Of Whom all nature sings
E mau ke ea ē Our prayer we bring
ʻO ke aupuni nei Oh let our kingdom live
E ola mau mākou Life, peace and union give
Me ka mōʻī Let all Thy care receive
Bless Thou our king[4]

References

  1. "William Charles Lunalilo". HawaiiHistory.org. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  2. "Hawaiian National Hymn". The Friend. March 2, 1874. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  3. Smith, Emmerson C. (1956). "The History of Musical Development in Hawaii". Sixty-Fourth annual report of the Hawaiian Historical Society for the year 1955. Honolulu: Hawaiian Historical Society: 5–13. hdl:10524/59.
  4. English version by Makua Laiana. "E Ola Ke Ali'i Ke Akua". Hawaiian Music and Hula Archives. Kaiulani Kanoa-Martin. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
Preceded by
God Save The King
National Anthem of the Kingdom of Hawaii
1860–1866
Succeeded by
He Mele Lahui Hawaii
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