According to Mary Kawena Pukai, this mele hula pahu was composed by Kaumealani, a chiefess of Kaua'i,in the late eighteenth century to chronicle the love of a chiefly suitor, whose initial difficulties are rewarded by his partner's constancy and happy home life. The many place names in the chant refer to persons rather than the places themselves. This 1952 rendition is especially interesting because it demonstrates the overriding importance placed on the text at the expense of the drumming.