Mele O Kahoʻolawe - Words & music by Harry Kunihi Mitchell
Aloha kuʻu moku o Kahoʻolawe Mai kinohi kou inoa o Kanaloa Kohemalamalama Lau kanaka ʻole Hiki mai na pua E hoʻomalu mai Alu like kākou Lahui Hawaiʻi Mai ka la hiki mai i ka la kau aʻe Ku paʻa a hahai hoʻikaika na kanaka Kau liʻi mākou nui Ke aloha no ka ʻāina Hanohano na pua o Hawaiʻi nei No ke kaua kauholo me ka aupuni Paʻa pu ka manaʻo o no ka pono o ka ʻāina Imua na pua Lanakila Kahoʻolawe		I love my island of Kaho`olawe Your original name was Kanaloa You are the southern beacon Barren and without a population Until you were invaded by nine young men Who granted you peace Let us band together the Hawaiian Kingdom From sun up to sun down Stand together and follow, be strong young people We are but a few in numbers But our love for the land is unlimited Popular are the young people of Hawaiʻi nei For the civil strife they cause against the government Together in one thought to bring prosperity to the land Forward young people and bring Salvation to Kahoʻolawe
George Jarrett Helm, Jr	Source: Hoʻihoʻihou, Bamboo Ridge Press - Kahoʻolawe means the "Carrying Away by Currents". The ancient name of this island is Kohe Malamalama o Kanaloa or the Shining Vagina of Kanaloa, the god of the sea. Kohe in this instance means a place that receives and nourishes and malamalama means to take exceptionally good care of. Therefore, the Hawaiians recognized Kahoʻolawe as a sacred place. March 6-7, 1977, two young men, the heart and soul of Hawaiʻi, were lost at sea. George Jarrett Helm Jr. 26, a musician and leader of the Protect Kahoʻolawe Ohana and James Kimo Mitchell 25, fisherman and National Park Service Ranger gave their lives for the land we all love. Let us hope their sacrifice was not in vain. Aloha ʻĀina		James Kimo Mitchell