E APO MAI ( TO CHERISH )

Words and Music by Nathan Aweau

On May 28, 2003, “E Apo Mai” won the coveted Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Song of the Year.  The Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts also voted the song’s composer Male Vocalist of the Year for his 2002 release of the same name.

1.    Ho’o mana’o ana mau I ka makahiki                            Always commemorate each year

       Luana ana no I ka ‘ohana a me na                                Enjoying the company of family and

       hoa loha.                                                                       friends.

2.    E pa’ani ana me na hoahanau I                                      Playing with cousins at Punalu’u

        Punalu’u

        ‘Oiai ‘anakala mau I hana I ka mea ‘ai,                        While uncle always prepares the food.

Chorus

        E aloha, kēia e apo mai ko mākou ‘ohana                    This love, our family embraces.

3.     Wehe na makana i Kalikimaka                                      Many gifts we open on Christmas

        Pumehana o ko Kupuna Wahine                                   with the warmth of Grandma’s smile 

4.     E pū’iwa, ‘ia mākou i lana ka hiamoe                           Amazed, we awaken from sleep

        Nue na makana I wehe ka la’au                                    Lots of gifts to open by the tree

5.     Ha’ina ia mai ana ka puana la                                        The story is told of my family

        ‘Ike au he makana no ke Akua                                     I know my family is a gift from God.

         ko’u ‘ohana                                                                                                  

                                           MAHINAHINA (Under the Pale moonlight)

                                                    Words and Music by Nathan Aweau  

1        Po’ina ‘oe I ka pa’ana a kala                                  Forget the sunshine,

A ia kahi mea no ka mahina a me na hoku, ea                   There’s something about the moon                                                                                                                 and the stars…

2        Makemake ia ‘u ho’oulupuni no ‘oe                          …That drives me crazy for you                                    

‘a, ‘oia I ka mahinahina, ‘ike ‘oe, ea                                   Oh, it’s the pale moonlight, you know...

chorus

     Makemake au e honi ia ‘oe                                                 I think about heaping kisses upon you

     I ke au (i ka) mahinahina                                                     under the pale moonlight

3        Ka pa konane a ka mahina la                                  The moonlight shines brightly

ke ala hula o ke kai malie, ea                                             along a frequented path of the calm sea
                                                                                                                                             

4        Ka mea ho’okahi e ha’o wale ana ia ‘oe                  The one thing missing is you

I lalo ma ka mahinahina pili kaua, ea                                  we two together, under the pale moonlight
                                                                                                           

5        Puana ka inoa o ka mahinahina                                 The story name of the pale moonlight

eia   ho’i i ha’i mai keia la, ea                                            …is told here this day

6        A’ole hui ia ‘u no ke aha mai la                                Why don’t you meet me…

      I lalo ma ka mahinahina pili kaua, ea                                   we two together under the pale moonlight