He Lei Poina ‘Ole Ke Keiki

A beloved child is a lei never forgotten

By Senator Kaiali‘i Kahele

teach kuana ‘ike Hawai‘i or the Hawaiian way of thinking. In this proverb, “He lei poina ‘ole ke keiki” speaks of a child that is so beloved, she is never forgotten. Aunty Diana Puakini Aki is indeed a beloved child of Hawai‘i who will never be forgotten.

As a child growing up in Miloli‘i, I would observe after a küpuna had passed how the elders in the village would gather specific flowers, shells and items that recognized and honored the life of the deceased. The first item was the liko. The liko represents foundation, the beginning stages of the life of a lehua. The liko teaches us to remember the beginnings. Aunty Diana was ahead of her time. An incredible singer and amazing storyteller. She learned how to sing the old songs the “old way” from her aunties in Miloli‘i, Tutu Melekule, Lokelani and Ukuli‘i. She would imitate these voices until she mastered them and then she would adopt her own style of singing and the “Songbird of Miloli‘i was born.

The second item was the Hala which are used to represent the passing from one realm into the next. Hala in ‘ölelo Hawai‘i means “to pass.” It is used in funerals to promote passing from this physical realm into the next where Aunty Diana will be reunited with her loved ones, her husband Fidelis and her Creator.

The third item was the wood roses which are used to represent an everlasting impression. The wood rose grows on a vine and starts off as a soft yellow flower, bright and bold, and when it reaches maturity, it turns into wood and can last forever if properly maintained. Just like her songs, the impression is everlasting. Aunty Diana touched thousands of lives throughout Hawai‘i and the world, and her music will be forever considered amongst the classics of Hawaiian music.

Diana Aki’s “Kalihi” album.

Courtesy of Songbird Productions