Kealiʻi (pronounced Kay-ah-LEE-ee) Reichel was born and raised on the island of Maui. Reichel grew up in the town of Lahaina where he attended Lahainaluna High School, however he spent weekends and summers with his maternal grandmother in the plantation town of Pāʻia. At the age of 24, Reichel was convicted of theft, and was sentenced to community service, which involved a study of Hawaiian culture. This marked a turning point in his life, as he decided to devote the rest of his life to the study and promotion of Hawaiian culture.
Reichel was one of the founding directors for Punana Leo O Maui, a Hawaiian language immersion pre-school. He has taught Hawaiian culture and language at the University of Hawaiʻi's, Maui Community College, and he was the Cultural Resource Specialist and curator at the Bailey House Museum in Wailuku.
E Pili Mai
Keali'i Reichel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ku′u lei o ka pō
Pō anu ho'okahi nō au
Sweetheart mine
E pili mai
Inā 'o ′oe a ′o au
'Ike i ke ahi o Makana
No nā kau a kau
′O 'oe a′o au
Sweetheart mine
E pili mai
'Auhea wale ana ′oe
Ku'u lei o ka pō
Pō anu ho'okahi nō au
Sweetheart mine
E pili mai
Inā ′o ′oe a 'o au
′Ike i ke ahi o Makana
He makana ia na ke aloha
No nā kau a kau
'O ′oe a'o au
Sweetheart mine
E pili mai
Sweetheart mine
E pili mai
Sweetheart mine
E pili mai ooh ooh ooh
The lyrics to Keali'i Reichel's song E Pili Mai express a sense of longing for a loved one. The first verse, "′Auhea wale ana 'oe, Ku′u lei o ka pō, Pō anu ho'okahi nō au, Sweetheart mine," directly translates to "Where are you, my lei of the night? I am chilled, alone," and sets the melancholy tone for the rest of the song. The second half of the verse, "E pili mai, Inā 'o ′oe a ′o au, 'Ike i ke ahi o Makana, He makana ia na ke aloha, No nā kau a kau, ′O 'oe a′o au," urges the loved one to come close, and expresses that their love is the greatest gift of all seasons.
The chorus repeats the phrase E pili mai, meaning "come close to me", while the third verse repeats the first, emphasizing the sense of loneliness and longing. The song ends with a repetition of "sweetheart mine," punctuating the idea that the love being longed for is deep and abiding.
Overall, E Pili Mai is a poignant expression of the yearning for love, and the lyrics speak to the depths of human emotion in a poignant, beautiful way.
Line by Line Meaning
′Auhea wale ana 'oe
Where are you my love?
Ku′u lei o ka pō
You are my cherished treasure
Pō anu ho'okahi nō au
I am feeling cold and alone tonight
Sweetheart mine
My beloved
E pili mai
Come be with me
Inā 'o ′oe a ′o au
If only you and I were together
′Ike i ke ahi o Makana
Watching the fire of Makana
He makana ia na ke aloha
A gift from love
No nā kau a kau
For all eternity
′O 'oe a′o au
You and me
E pili mai
Come be with me
Sweetheart mine
My beloved
'Auhea wale ana ′oe
Where are you my love?
E pili mai ooh ooh ooh
Come be with me
Writer(s): Peter Y.h.moon
Contributed by Peyton W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.