Manu Ikaika, leader of Halau Ho'omau I ka Wai Ola O Hawai'i in Alexandria, Va., wrote the chant "Hiki Maila Ke Ali'i Ho'oulu" to celebrate the presidential inauguration of the Hawai'i-born Obama.

The most famous chants were composed for Hawaiian kings and have been passed down for generations, said Ikaika, who was born in Honolulu and raised in Wai'anae but is now living in Manassas, Va.

"It (the chant) speaks of a child coming from Hawai'i," Ikaika said. "And coming from Hawai'i, he brings the righteousness, the power, the spiritual feeling that I believe Hawai'i possesses to help our economy and the people of America."

Following tradition, Ikaika wrote the chant in two versions: a mele inoa, which is a name song to be performed with music, and an oli, a chant performed without accompaniment.

"I think we should give him every honor, and do so in creating this mele and oli for him," Ikaika said.

At a dress rehearsal last Saturday, the 16 dancers and seven bamboo stick players — all wearing red pa'u dresses, kukui nut lei and maile haku lei — performed the chant.

"It give me chicken skin," Napualokelani Kamakele Wiley, a Hawaiian from Wai'anae, said with a laugh. "It's a chance for us to showcase not just our halau, but the Hawaiian culture, hula, mele and the Hawaiian language."

Wiley said she looked for a halau when she moved to the Washington area about eight years ago so she could stay in touch with her Hawaiian roots.

"It keeps me close to Hawai'i," she said. "It keeps me close to our culture."

Brandie Noelani Williams, now living in Woodbridge, Va., but originally from Hilo, feels joy in being involved with the performance.

"I have a lot of pride in taking part. It's just exciting to be a part of everything," she said. "We're sharing our Hawaiian history and giving thanks for our new leader, the president of the United States, who is a child of Hawai'i."

Halau Ho'omau I ka Wai Ola O Hawai'i (which means "through hula and halau, we remain young at heart and full of life") has about 80 members from Virginia, Maryland and Washington.

The museum's multicultural festival runs today through Monday and will feature daily performances of live music, dancing and storytelling.

Ikaika's group performs at 1 p.m. today and 3 p.m. tomorrow. Another Hawaiian group, Halau O'Aulani from Arlington, Va., performs at noon Monday.

Camille Linsangan, originally from Manila in the Philippines but now living in Reston, Va., also was upbeat about performing the chant during the inaugural weekend.

"It's a historic moment," she said. "I've never been in anything this important, and to see it all taking place to get to be able to do this is special for me."

HIKI MAILA KE ALI'I HO'OULO

He mele inoa no Obama

THE LEADER OF INSPIRATION COMES

Name chant in honor of Barack Obama

Written by: kumu hula Manu Ikaika of Halau Ho'omau I ka Wai Ola O Hawai'i

Dec. 7, 2008

Language adviser: Puakea Nogelmeier

(Ua haku ia e Manu Ikaika)

© Manu Ikaika, Dec. 7, 2008

E nana i ke ali'i, he kanaka ikaika

He keiki o ka 'aina kupono la e

He pua o Hawai'i, i kuhia i alaka'i

Nana e ho'oulu i ka pono, aloha e

'Ike 'ia ma ka lani la ka hikina 'ana mai

Ka 'imi 'ana i ka pono me ke aloha

Paulele 'ia ihola ka hulina

'Oiai mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono

Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

Hiki mai ke alaka'i e ho'oulu hou

Uluhia maila

ke ola o ka 'aina

Aloha no, e

He inoa no Barack Obama

THE LEADER OF INSPIRATION COMES

TRANSLATION:

Look at our leader, a strong person is he

A child from the land of righteousness

A child of Hawai'i destined to lead

Who will make goodness flourish, with aloha

Signs in the heavens tell of the coming of a new chief

Working for righteousness with love

Belief in change is instilled in the heart

For the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness

Let the story be known in the telling

The leader to renew inspiration has come

The living essence

of the land flourishes

We offer loving regard, indeed

A name song for Barack Obama