Kapolioka'ehukai (Tribute to Rell Sunn)

KAPOLIOKA, KAPOLIOKA'EHUKAI
KAPOLIOKA, KAPOLIOKA'EHUKAI

WITH HER BACK TO THE SUN, AND HER FEET ON THE SEA
KAPOLIOKAEHUKAI RODE THE SPIRIT FREE
GRACEFUL AS AN ANGEL
NIMBLE AS A SEAL
KAPOLIOKAEHUKAI RODE THE SPIRIT REAL

KAPOLIOKA, KAPOLIOKA'EHUKAI

SHE WAS BORN AT THE EDGE OF THE OCEAN
AND NAMED FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE SEA
KAPOLIOKAEHUKAI CAME FROM A SURFING FAMILY
SHE FOLLOWED HER BROTHERS INTO THE OCEAN
MORE AT HOME IN THE WATER THAN ON LAND
AND BEFORE SHE WAS 12 SHE WAS CUTTING THE BREAKERS
WITH A CHAMPION'S COMMAND

KAPOLIOKA, KAPOLIOKA'EHUKAI

IT WAS THE 1950'S AND DEEP IN HAWAII
THE MISSIONARIES WERE RULING WITH AN IRON HAND
THEY SAID NO!, NO!, NO!, COME BACK FROM THE SEA
THE SURF'S NO PLACE FOR A WOMAN TO BE'
BUT RELL SUNN KEPT HER EYE ON THE OCEAN AND SHE SURFED THROUGHOUT THE LAND.

KAPOLIOKA, KAPOLIOKA'EHUKAI

ONE DAY RELL SUNN
SURFER OF THE OCEAN WAVES
DISCOVERED A CANCER INSIDE HER BREAST
THAT WOULD TAKE HER TO HER GRAVE
SHE FOUGHT THAT CANCER 15 YEARS
WHILE SHE SURFED AND SPREAD ALOHA CHEER
AND WHEN SHE FINALLY SUCCUMBED AND HER WORK WAS DONE
BUT ON THE WIND YOU STILL COULD HEAR

KAPOLIOKA, KAPOLIOKA'EHUKAI

WHEN THE SALT OF THE EARTH
TASTED THE SALT OF THE SEA
IT WAS THE FINAL WISH OF HER HUMAN LIPS
BEFORE HER SPIRIT WAS SET FREE.
THEY CARRIED HER DOWN TO THE OCEANSIDE TO SEE THE WAVES
AND HEAR THE WIND ONE MORE TIME
AND AS SHE TASTED THE WATER
THE WORDS OF HER FATHER
ECHOED IN HER MIND, ONE MORE TIME.

ALOHA SPIRIT IS SIMPLE' HE'D SAY
YOU GIVE AND YOU GIVE AND YOU GIVE
YOU GIVE AND YOU GIVE AND YOU GIVE
YOU GIVE AND YOU GIVE AND YOU GIVE
UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE

KAPOLIOKA, KAPOLIOKA'EHUKAI

ALOHA, ALOHA, ALOHA KAPAOLIOKA.