Academy of Hawaiian Arts • Teacher Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu

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Academy of Hawaiian Arts
Ke Kumu Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu
Oakland, California
"Aliʻi ʻIolani”

This mele honors Alexander Liholiho Kamehameha IV, grandson of Kamehameha the Great, who ascended the Hawaiian throne in 1855. His name translates as "Royal Hawk." The mele was reportedly composed around 1856 to commemorate his marriage to Emma Naʻea Rooke (Queen Emma). While the composer's identity remains uncertain, the music is attributed to Helen Parker.