Hāwane weaves the Hawaiian language of her ancestors into the song "directions", honoring the connection with Wākea (Sky Father) and Papahānaumoku (Earth Mother).

Together We Rise

Hāwane Rios feat. Nahko Bear- Directions

Reflection by Chelsey Dickson.
Kumu Pua Case, the one who wrestles out the best in you, the one who makes you stand straighter, chant louder, shine brighter and the one who connects you through ceremony. It is Kumu Pua for whom this song was gifted, delivered on a simple piece of paper after one of her many community workshops. Later, I shared the song’s melody with Hāwane and her friend in the center of the Thelma Parker Gym where our hula practices usually began.“It’sEverything” was written early in 2014, the words flowing from experiences coupled with the alohaof our voyaging ancestors, and plaited together with Hāwane’s contribution, the song includes the deities of Mauna Kea. In my current conception, the mauna(mountain)represents“everything”past, present and future, our connection to the elements, sky and earth, our responsibility as kānakato the sacredness of life itself. The maunaembodies all for which we stand, from our core and all that we hold within with the utmost reverence.

Hāwane Rios  feat. 'Ekolu Mea Nui - It's Everything

I can still remember the moment this song came to me. We woke up before the sun, got in the truck, and made our way up to Mauna Kea. It was a cold morning and the stars were still in the sky as we drove through the mist and rolling hills. I was reminiscing about standing on the frontlines linked arm in arm with my fellow kiaʻi(protectors)and how powerful it was when our voices rose together in chant and song. When I looked up at the shadow of the mountain, I heard a melody come to me, so I got out my ʻukuleleand started to sing. The words,“hoʻokahika umauma, hoʻokahi puʻuwai”, called to me as I thought of the unity and love of this mountain movement and how that very aloha called out to the world. I thought of the many people standing in solidarity with us and how the strength of that support became such powerful pillars of courage. I thought of the many elders in my life who have raised me with their profound lessons and wisdom. As I continued to write this song looking up at the mauna(mountain),I sang the name of one of the elders that I called upon often while standing on the frontline. I sang his name, Hale Makua, to the winds with a heart full of gratitude for his sacred teachings that have guided and carried me. I grew up singing his words,“love all you see with humility, live all you feel with reverence, know all that you possess with discipline. With love, with love, with love”. My understanding of these words deepened when I chose to stand for our lands. I truly do believe that together we will continue to rise, together we can create change, together we can heal, together we can protect the sacred for the next seven generations and beyond.

Hāwane Rios - Together We Rise

I have been blessed to sit in many circles and stand on many frontlines throughout my homelands and around the world with powerful women who have taught me profound lessons about resilience, courage, and grace. In reflection of the sacred teachings that have been my companions in my journey on this earth, I was inspired to write a song for all women that would offer healing to the womb, strength to the body, and light to heart. This song honors a long line of strong women whom I descend from and whom have raised me. This song is for the women who have passed their stories down through the generations, who have survived great struggle and trauma, who have found the courage to stand for what’s right, and who have chosen to live in joy despite all of the challenges they have faced. I have found much healing in my personal evolution as a native woman through poetry, chanting, and singing, all of which are interwoven into this song. From my womb to your womb - to the women of the world, we shall sing into your wounds, pray you back to might, and lift you to the light.

Hāwane Rios - Mana Wahine

Reflection by Pua Case
Wānanalua(Double rainbow prophecy) is the name bestowed to a mother whale that we had sung to, held, and prayed for as she passed from this realm to the next. In return, this whale gifted us with the melody and the first lines of this song. As the composition evolved, a mele inoa(namesong) emerged for the mothers of the ocean, the whales, and the Polynesian voyaging canoes--Hōkūleʻa, Makaliʻi and Hikianalia. An excerpt from the Kumulipo creation chant and several ʻōlelo noʻeau(poetialsayings) provided the ending refrain as a vibration to take all of us on a musical journey. This song honors this magnificent creature--the record keeper, the double rainbow prophecy.

Hāwane Rios feat. Chadd Paishon & Pomai Bertelmann - Wānanalua

Kanaloa Ola was written by a small group of us who participated in the closing Lonoikamakahiki ceremonies on the island of Kahoʻolawe a few years back. After decades of bombing and desecration of the land, ocean and sacred sites by the U.S. military, Kahoʻolawe was liberated through the dedication and bravery of Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana members and community supporters. It is with a heart of profound love and gratitude that I dedicate this song to George Helm and Kimo Mitchell, courageous Kanaka Maoli who gave their lives to bringaloha ʻāina(love of the land), justice, and freedom back to this beloved island. As we walked our ceremony from Hakioawa to Kealaikahiki, we lifted their names and the names of those who continue this work of protecting our sacred lands. With every step we took, I felt the truth and depth of our collective intention to bring light and healing to this ancient place that has inspired strength and resilience in so many. I can still remember the moment when we decided to record the journey we took on that access in this song. It was powerful to weave our voices and prayers together and to be able to lift this intention on the land that danced this song to life. Everytime I sing these words, I close my eyes and remember the feeling of the wind of Kahoʻolawe - Kohemālamalama o Kanaloa, on my skin and all of the reasons why I choose to continue to stand for all of our lands across Hawaiʻi and beyond that are calling for us to protect and liberate them from military occupation. Everytime I sing this song, I am reminded that peace is possible and ponocan and will always prevail. Ola i ke ao a Kanaloa.

Hāwane Rios - Kanaloa Ola

Free The Streams was written after reflecting upon a group conversation I had while attending a leadership conference. We were asked to think about what makes us move the way we do in this world. One of the answers resonated deeply within me. A young man from the Philippines told us about how he was raised in his village drinking free water from a shared well, owned by no one, respected, and cared for by everyone. Each family had a responsibility to the land from a section of the mountain all the way to the sea. It got me thinking about my own ancestors and the way they used to live very much like the way my friend was brought up living with the rhythms of the earth. His story stayed with me and inspired me to write this prayer song for the freedom and liberation of all waters of the world. It has been a true blessing to offer this song at many waterways and many mountains around the world that continue to teach us that water is life. I dedicate this prayer to all water protectors.

Hāwane Rios - Free the Streams

Kapu Ka Hāwas written at a time when our communities across Hawaiʻi were rallying and marching for food sovereignty and protection of our lands and waters from harmful chemicals used by GMO corporations. When I think about our connection as a people to the land, I think of our genealogy that links us to our Creator and Creatress. From the union of Wākea(SkyFather) and Hoʻohōkūkalani(Goddessof the Star Realm), a baby came into this world still born and was buried at the eastern end of the house. From there grew the first kalo(taro)plant, our essential staple. Wākea and Hoʻohōkūkalani united together again and she gave birth to a second child named after his elder brother, Hāloa, and he became the first kanaka, the first Hawaiian. There is a transcendental interconnectedness that grounds us to the elemental forces above and below that teaches us that there is no separation, that everything is linked. What is done unto the earth is done unto us and those who come after us. That is ancient knowledge passed down through the generations to guide and teach us. It is our responsibility to protect all that gives and sustains our lifeforce here in this realm in honor of these sacred commitments. These are the reasons why I stand with many near and far to protect the integrity of our food and water.

Hāwane Rios feat. Sara Tone and Lanakila Mangauil - Kapu ka ha

Aloha‘Aina‘Oia‘i‘o is a prayer song dedicated to Haleakalā and the people who stand to protect this revered mountain on Maui from further desecration and destruction due to adverse telescope development. As kiaʻi(protectors)from Mauna Kea, we went to support our fellow kiaʻiwith ceremony, prayers, and chants. Before I left, my Mom turned to me and said,“ifthere should be any arrests, you go and honor them with chant. That is your kuleana.” I carried her words with me as we prepared to walk to the frontlines. Before we saw the people, we could hear them. A strong voice called out“alohaʻāina!” and I could feel the power of hundreds of voices filling the sky as they responded,“ʻoiaʻiʻo!”We joined in with other protectors, marching in a circle and carrying our signs and flags high. I looked around and saw the young ones standing their ground and my eyes met with many kiaʻi that stood with us with that same strength and solidarity for Mauna Kea. We continued to chant as the police closed in and started to try to break our lines and separate the kiaʻi that were on the ground blocking with their bodies the transport of telescope equipment to the top of the mountain. It intensified with the police arrests as the transport barrelled through. We jumped into our cars and headed to the mountain access road before the police blockades were set up. We chanted, lifted our prayers, and blew the pū for Haleakalā as the transport made its way up to the summit. The next morning we returned home and went straight up to the top of Mauna Kea, lifted our hands to Haleakalā and chanted,“alohaʻāina ʻoiaʻiʻo!” I felt called to write a song to help settle our hearts and to honor the sacred bond of our mountain movements.

Hāwane Rios - Aloha 'Aina 'Oia'i'O

Reflection by Pua Case
I am the seventh generation of those who came before me and I am the first generation of those who will follow me to ensure the lineage, language, and traditions of the Kānaka Maoli continue on. The responsibility that we have to every place, everything and everyone in our genealogical lineage determines the manner in which we move forward in all that we do for Hawaiʻi. As our kūpuna(ancestors)did for us, we do the same for the next seven generations. We carry on in their footsteps. Indeed, we’re still here.

Hāwane Rios - 7th Generation Nation

Burden of Many honors all who have suffered any form of violence. I was moved to write this song upon learning about the terrible rape and abuse of Native American and First Nations youth in the residential schools throughout North America and Canada. While in Canada attending an Idle No More Media Training Conference, I heard many heart wrenching stories about the thousands of missing and murdered women throughout their lands which continues to be ignored and sidelined by their government. The pain that I have experienced in my life recognized the pain in these stories that I felt to the very core of my being. I cried deeply, lifted my prayers, lit sage, offered salt to the earth, and began to sing. Writing these words and singing them out helped me to release some of this pain as it became medicine for my healing heart. This song is for the children, women, men, and two-spirited people of Turtle Island, my beloved Hawaiʻi, and throughout the world whose lives have been stolen from them and changed forever because of this ongoing oppression, marginalization, and violence. This is my way of saying that I see you, I hear you, I am with you, and I am praying for you.

Hāwane Rios - Burden of Many

E‘Onia Pa’ais dedicated to all who have made the stand on the frontlines of the movement to protect our sacred mountain, Mauna Kea, also known as Mauna a Wākea (Mountain of Sky Father).“E‘onia pa’a a hiki i ke aloha‘āinahope loa” means,“to remain steadfast and unshakable until the very last aloha ʻāinapatriot. These words were inspired by the revolutionary speech given by aloha ʻāinapatriot, James Kaulia, in 1897 to stand in solidarity with Queen Lili’uokalani in protest of the attempted annexation of Hawai‘i to the United States. With the strength and courage that our ancestors passed down to us, this song was written as a response to the first 31 wrongful arrests of brave kiaʻi(protectors)on Mauna Kea and for each person arrested thereafter in this current stand for our beloved mountain. The words and intention of this song serves as reminder to not mistake our aloha and kindness for weakness. We are descendants of a great and powerful people and we stand for our sacred places with a fierce love for our land. It is a reminder that we are still here, we are not defeated, and we still carry the strength and courage passed down to us by our ancestors.

Hāwane Rios - E 'Oni a Pa'a

Hāwane Rios -  You See (Bonus)

Reflection by Pua Case.
Warrior Rising was inspired by the beginning of the movement to protect Mauna Kea. I watched my daughters and many others become warriors standing for this sacred mountain that I view as an ancestor, chief, grandparent, teacher, guide, and protector. What began as a tribute to my daughters, became an anthem for all warriors rising to stand for Hawaiʻi.

Hāwane Rios feat. Lākea Trask - Warrior Rising

Aloha ‘Āina. Hāwane Rios is a kanaka ‚oiwi (native Hawaiian) singer and songwriter from Waimea, Hawaii.
The music she shares reflects her deep love and commitment to Mauna Kea and honors the solidarity that the mountain has bridged with many other movements around the world that are centered on protecting the rights of this beautiful earth. Together We Rise. Kū Kia’i Mauna.

Hāwane Rios

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