King Kalākaua's royal coat of arms introduces the Kalākaua family, brothers and sisters, who are foremost among composers to have made a lasting musical mark upon Hawaiʻi's music history.

The oldest of the royal family was King David Laʻamea Kalākaua, the seventh sovereign of Hawaiʻi, whose motto was "houlu lāhui", translated to mean increase the nation.

The youngest, who died at the age of 22, was heir apparent to the throne, Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku.

Of the two girls in the family, the younger, who died an untimely death at the age of 36, was the very regal Princess Miriam Kapili Likelike Cleghorn.

And finally, the successor to the throne of Kalākaua, the eighth and last monarch of Hawaiʻi, Lydia Liliʻu Kamakaʻeha Dominis, was known as the beloved Queen Liliʻuokalani.

This royal quartet is honored on Mele Hawaiʻi.

Called one of the most fascinating figures in recent Polynesian history, King Kalākaua left a lasting imprint upon Hawaiʻi's music, especially in the revival of chants our ancient music of the ʻoli and mele hula, which was at that time on the verge of extinction.

In honor of this great king, Ed Collier's talented lei kukui dancers with chanter Kawai Cockett perform the mele inoa Kalākaua, a chant in which the king is compared to the elements of nature.

Ae, Kalākaua ka pua maeʻole i ka lā [chanting] Kalākaua Kalākaua a he inoa Ka pua maeʻole i ka lā Kalākaua Kalākaua a he inoa Ka pua maeʻole i ka lā Ke pua Ke pua maila i ka mauna Ke kuahiwi o Mauna Kea Ke pua Ke pua maila i ka mauna Ke kuahiwi o Mauna Kea Ke‘a Ke ʻa maila i Kīlauea Mālamalama o wahine kapu Ke‘a Ke ʻa maila i Kīlauea Mālamalama o wahine kapu A luna A luna o Uwē-kahuna Ka pali kapu o Kaʻau ʻeā A luna A luna o Uwē-kahuna Ka pali kapu o Kaʻau ʻeā Ea mai Ea mai ke aliʻi kia manu Ua wehi i ka hulu o ka mamo Ea mai Ea mai ke aliʻi kia manu Ua wehi i ka hulu o ka mamo Ka pua Ka pua nani a‘o Hawai‘i Kalākaua he inoa Ka pua Ka pua nani a‘o Hawai‘i Kalākaua he inoa Ea la, ea la, ea, a hae He inoa nō Kalani Kalākaua King Kalākaua, popularly called the Merry Monarch, was the only Hawaiian king to be crowned in formal coronation ceremonies.

Endowed with high native intelligence, an insatiable curiosity, enormous musical talent and skill, Kalākaua's reign evoked criticisms from contemporaries as well as from later historians.

But being the person that he was, he continued in the role he saw for himself as absolute head of state.

No matter what people may say about his achievements or his failures as a ruler, the fact is as a composer, Kalākaua is still today considered one of Hawaii's greatest composers.

He composed our national anthem, Hawaii Ponoʻī, the island favorite, Koni Au I Ka Wai, and many others, including this song, now sung by the Hawaii Isle of Serenaders.

Ninipo talks about a legend of a woman who rhythmically dances hula in the sea.

Ninipo hoʻonipo i ke aloha Ka wahine haʻalewa Haʻalewa i ke kai Ke nini au la i ke one I ke kai nupanupa i Hāena Hiaʻai hiaʻai o ka nani O aʻu lehua i Hōpoe Ke ona ʻia mai la e ka iʻiwi E ka manu hulu weo i ʻŌlaʻa Ninipo hoʻonipo i ke aloha Ka wahine haʻalewa Haʻalewa i ke kai Ke nini au la i ke one I ke kai nupanupa i Hāena I ke kai nupanupa i Hāena In addition to being the only Hawaiian king crowned in formal coronation ceremonies, Kalākaua had the distinction of being the only monarch to travel around the world.

A chant put to music, Ia ‘Oe E Ka Lā E ‘Alohi Nei describes the king's travels while the beautiful lei kukui dancers interpret.

Ma nā welelau ma nā welelaua ʻo ka honua Hōʻike aʻe ʻoe i kou nani ʻeā I ka mālamalama, i ka mālamalama ʻoi kelakela Nāu i nōiʻi nōwelo aku ʻeā Pau nā pali paʻa, pau nā pali paʻa i ka ʻike ʻia ʻIke ʻoe i ka nani aʻo Himela ʻeā Ka hene wai ʻolu, ka hene wai ʻolu lawe mālie Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana ʻeā E ola e ka lani, e ola e ka lani a mau loa Kalākaua's younger brother, Prince Leleiohoku, died at 22. too, leaving a rich musical legacy behind him.

Island recording artist and performer tenor Charles K. L. Davis sings one of Leleiohoku's well-known compositions, Kaua i Ka Huahuai, a love song which over the years changed in tempo and meaning to become the Hawaiian war chant.

Accompanying him is lovely hula soloist Leimomi Maldonado.

Kāua i ka huahuaʻi E ʻuhene lā i pili koʻolua Pukukuʻi lua i ke koʻekoʻe Hanu lipo o ka palai Auwē ka huaʻi lā Auwē ka huaʻi lā ʻAuhea wale ana ʻoe E kaʻu mea e liʻa nei Mai hōʻapaʻapa maiʻoe O loaʻa pono kāua Auwē ka huaʻi lā Auwē ka huaʻi lā Prince Leleiohoku, one of my favorite composers, truly enjoyed participating in evenings of song, a time when his fame singing club, Hui Kawaihau, would meet with the clubs of his two sisters, Liliʻuokalani and Likelike.

In later years, Liliʻuokalani spoke with great fondness of these evenings by saying, "Our clubs engaged in friendly rivalry to outdo each other in poetry and song.

Our poems and musical compositions were repeated from one to another, were sung by our friends, and their respective merits extolled."

She said rather amusingly cander compels me to acknowledge that those of Leleiohoku were really in advance of our two sister of his two sisters.

One of the songs probably sung by Hui Kawaihau was Moani Ke ‘Ala which begins by saying where is the wafted fragrance my beloved companion.

‘Auhea ‘o moani ke ‘ala Hoapili o mi nei A he aha kau hana e pāweo nei E ka makani Pu‘ulena E wiki mai ‘oe i pono kāua I ‘olu ho‘i au e ke hoa Ho‘ohihi aku au e ‘ike lā I ka wai māpunapuna Ua Tuahine pi‘o ānuenue ‘O ia uka ‘iu‘iu Kuhi au a he pono kēia Au e ho‘apa‘apa mai nei E wiki mai ‘oe i pono kāua I ‘olu ho‘i au e ke hoa A few years older than Prince Leleiohoku, Princess Likelike shines through as a person of great charm and dignity.

Married to the honorable Archibald Scott Cleghorn and the mother of the beloved princes Kaʻiulani.

She was also blessed with the musical talents of the Kalākaua family.

Although she did not compose as many songs as either of her brothers or her older sister, Likelike holds her own special place in the annals of Hawaii's colorful music history.

One of her most beautiful compositions, Maika‘i Waipi‘o, sung by the King Kamehameha Hawaiian Civic Club, describes the magnificence of the cliffs in Waipi‘o Valley.

Maika‘i Waipi‘o Alo lua i nā pali E pō‘ai a puni ana A hapa na‘e ma kai Ma‘ema‘e ka pua I ka holo a‘e a ka wai Ua ‘ena‘ena i ka lā Mōhala i nā pali Hoihoi ka pi‘ina ‘O Koa‘ekea Pi‘i nō a ho‘omaha I Kaholokūaīwa Ma‘ema‘e ka pua I ka holo a‘e a ka wai Ua ‘ena‘ena i ka lā Mōhala i nā pali one of Likelike's most famous compositions describes the beauty surrounding the family estate ʻĀinahau located in Waikīkī.

ʻĀinahau had been given to Likelike's daughter Kaʻiulani by her godmother, Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani.

Famous for its peacocks and tropical atmosphere, it was a place where visitors from all over the world were welcomed, including the noted author Robert Lewis Stevenson.

Nani wale kuʻu home ʻO ʻĀinahau i ka ʻiu I ka holunape A ka lau o ka niu I ka uluwehiwehi I ke ʻala o nā pua Kuʻu home, kuʻu home i ka ʻiuʻiu Na ka wai lūkini Wai anuhea o ka rose E hoʻopē nei i ka liko o nā pua Na ka manu pīkake Manu hulu melemele Nā kāhiko ia o kuʻu home Na ka makani aheahe I pā mai ma kai I lawe mai i ke Onaona līpoa E hoʻonipo hoʻonipo Me ke ʻala o kuʻu home Kuʻu home, kuʻu home i ka ʻiuʻiu Nani wale kuʻu home ʻO ʻĀinahau i ka ʻiu I ka holunape A ka lau o ka niu I ka uluwehiwehi I ke ʻala o nā pua Kuʻu home, kuʻu home i ka ʻiuʻiu As ʻĀinahau was Princess Likelike's home.

So, Washington Place was Queen Liliʻuokalani's home for approximately 55 years.

She lived here long before becoming queen as the wife of John Owen Dominus, governor of Oahu from 1863 until his death in 1891.

And it was upon his death that Liliʻuokalani inherited Washington Place.

Originally built in 1846 for her father-in-law, Captain Dominus.

Since the Queen's death in 1917, the stately mansion has been the home of Hawaii's governors.

But in honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani and Hawaii's royal past, many of the Queen's personal belongings remain intact, such as her beloved piano upon which she composed many of her songs, numerous personal items in her bedroom, including her king-sized bed, and her magnificent life-sized portrait in the dining room.

Named in 1847 after the per first president of the United States, Washington Place is a historically important site, a handsome Georgian mansion, uniting a royal past with a democratic present.

And it was Liliʻuokalani who gave Washington place its royal history.

She has had many chants and songs composed in her honor, such as Lanakila Ke Ka Ahi, performed by the Hui Opio dances.

This chant tells of the crown princess Lilʻu's travels to such places as Hālawa, Wahiwā and Moanalua on the island of O‘ahu.

Ae Lanakila Ke Ka Ahi Ali‘i O Lanakila ke ka ahi aliʻi Nana lawe mai kahu aupuni A hiki o kalani A hiki o kalani i Moanalua Ka uwapo holuholu aʻo Hālawa Alawa iho ʻoe Alawa iho ʻoe ma ka ʻaoʻao Ka nome ka huila i ke alahao Hoʻokahi na leo Hoʻokahi na leo aʻo ke kuhina Hoʻopaʻa ia mai na mikini Kunou welo pāpale Kunou welo pāpale ke aloha Nā kupa nā kini ou e kalani A kau o kalani A kau o kalani i ke kaʻa pio Huli aku a noho hoʻolaʻilaʻi Kiani ka uwepa Kiani ka uwepa ha‘a nā lio Kiliopu i ke kula o Leilehua He aku mākou He aku mākou o mai ʻoe O Liliʻuokalani la he inoa Ea la, ea la, ea He inoa no Liliʻuokalani The most prolific composer of the Kalākaua family.

Liliʻuokalani was the only one with a formal musical education.

And it is said that she had the rare sense of absolute pitch giving her the ability to transcribe the many songs she wrote such as Ka Ōiwi Nani, Sung by the kūpuna wahine I ke ahiahi Pōʻakolu Kuʻu ʻike ʻana iho He ʻalele waha ʻole na ke aloha E ʻī mai ana iʻau E ʻī mai ana ʻī mai ana Aia Keʻala i ka nahele Kahi i walea ai I ka ʻolu o ia uka E ʻī mai ana ʻī mai ana Aia Keʻala i ka nahele Kahi i walea ai I ka ʻolu o ia uka Queen Liliʻuokalani wrote over a hundred songs including the famed Aloha Oʻe.

A woman of great dignity and pride.

Her motto was onipaʻa, stand firm.

And indeed she firmly stood her ground during her short turbulent reign as she tried desperately to regain the royal power her brother Kalākaua had lost.

She became queen in 1891 and was dethroned in 1893.

Thus, the colorful, glorious days of the Mari, which had seen a total of eight rulers, were to go down as a closed chapter in Hawaii's history.

There is a song commenting on the dethronement of Queen Liliʻuokalani, a song which expresses the feelings of her supporters who also oppose the idea of annexation.

Written in 1893 by Ellen Wright Prendergas, it is perhaps one of the most moving protest songs in the world.

Originally called Mele ‘Ai Pohaku, it has become known as Kaulana Nā Pua.

Famous are the children of Hawaiʻi, ever loyal to their land.

When the evilhearted messenger comes with his greedy document of extortion, Hiki mai ka ʻelele o ka loko ʻino Palapala ʻānunu me ka pākaha Hawai‘i, land of Keawe answers, Pi‘ilani's bays help, Mano's Kauai lend support, and so do the sands of Kākuhihewa.

Kākoʻo mai Kauaʻi o Mano Paʻapū me ke one Kākuhihewa No one will fix the signature to the paper of the enemy with its sin of annexation and sale of native civil rights.

Hoʻohui ʻāina kūʻai hewa I ka pono sivila aʻo ke kanaka We do not value the government's sums of money.

We are satisfied with the stones, astonishing food of the land.

Ua lawa mākou i ka pōhaku I ka ʻai kamahaʻo o ka ʻāina We back Liliʻuokalani who has won the rights to this her land and tell the world the story of the people who so dearly love their land.

Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana Ka poʻe i aloha i ka ʻāina We back Lili‘ulani, who has won the rights to this, her land.

And tell the world the story of the people who so dearly love their land.

Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana Ka poʻe i aloha i ka ʻāina The Kalākaua dynasty ended in 1893 with the overthrow of the monarchy and Queen Lili‘uokalani.

But the Kalākaua family will continue to live in Hawaii's history, not only because of their royal past, but also because of their outstanding contributions to Hawaii's music.

Ma hope mākou o Liliʻulani A loaʻa ē ka pono o ka ʻāina Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana Ka poʻe i aloha i ka ʻāina