Kordel Ng

 
Mr. Goto
 
English 12
 
11 February 2020
 
Kameronfromross
 
I. Lyrics and Translation:
 
Growing up with mountains all around

To playing baseball on the mound

To realizing you don’t like cleats or gloves

To finding your first true love

Ever since you were four

You never built couch forts

And knew you didn’t need the beach shore

Your love was basketball courts

You dreamt about being the best in the state

So you trained early and you trained late

You never went out and drank beer

That’s why you were 2X Gatorade player of the year

From growing up in the 44

To being in the weight room working on your core

Never rocking your own boat

And thats why youre the GOAT

We grew up in kaneohe 

You always showed me the way

From climbing koa trees

To you attending the University of Hawaii

You shine bright in the night sky

Like the star you are

To adventuring to Molokai 

To owning your own car

Growing up with you I would never change

You're my best friend

Even though it might be strange 

I will love you to the very end.

(Ng)
 
 

II.  Background Information:

In the first stanza, I talked about mountains because I grew up in Kaneohe. No matter

where we looked, we would always see mountains, so I wanted to incorporate it into the mele. I

described the mounds, cleats and gloves because when Kameron was little, he played baseball

and was very good although he didn't like it. He ended up quitting to focus on basketball.
Kameron started playing basketball at four; he never liked going to the beach or building forts or

anything like that. Most of the things I talk about this mele are quite literal. Kameron has

impacted my life and I consider him to be my best friend. Thus, I used a bright shining star to

describe him because he is my idol. I chose to compare him to a goat because in sports terms,

goat is an acronym for the “greatest of all time”. 

III.  Hawaiian Poetic Devices:

 
The Hawaiian Poetic Device of Purpose/Intent is shown in this mele, Dudoit writes,

“Contemporary Hawaiian art also reaches towards the past, but in order to translate our traditions

into the language of today” (22). My mele is intended for my brother Kameron who means a lot

to me; “Growing up with you I would never change/You’re my best friend” (Ng). I wanted to

show how he is a very important part of my life and show his influence in also creating my

character. 

This mele displays the Hawaiian poetic device of Place Names. Place names, especially

Kaneohe, are important to me; Elbert states, “Hawaiians sayings also may be didactic.  The two

in the preceding paragraph seem to express resignation and patience.  Others, not didactic,

describe emotional states or important events, but the largest proportion show aloha ‘åina, ‘love

for the land and the people of the land’ and this function, so important in Hawai‘i”(118). In my

mele I talk about Kaneohe because that's where me and my brother grew up “Growing up with

mountains all around/We grew up in Kaneohe” (Ng). Growing up they showed us the most

beautiful parts of Hawaii and I'm very grateful to be from that side.

This mele portrays the poetic device under the category of “songs honoring persons”

(Elbert 16). This mele is written for my older brother kameron and honoring all the

accomplishments he had so far in life. “Growing up with you I would never change/ You're my
best friend/ Even though it might be strange/ I will love you to the very end” (Ng). I also wanted

to highlight how he is my bestfriend and the love I have for him.

Another poetic device is Kaona expressed through animals. We learned that, “One of the

Hawaiian poetic devices was identified as kaona expressed through animals. In this device, the

poet uses the animal as a metaphor, while also referring to all of the already known qualities of

the animal” (Reichel). In my mele I stated “and thats why youre the GOAT” (NG). i didnt mean i

literal goat. I used goat because in sports terms G.O.A.T is an acronym for the greatest of all time

and to me kameron is the greatest of all time.

Tersness is exemplified to show descriptions of short tense phrases. This mele has short

phrases to describe Kameron and what he was like growing up into the person he is today. We

read that “Hawaiian poetry for the most part consists of short terse carefully adjusted sentences;

all matter that can be is thrown out that the principal idea may make them stronger impression”

(Elbert 11). I used a bunch of short phrases like “To adventuring to Molokai/ To owning your

own car” (Ng). I felt it was easier to read and it would help my mele flow better if i wrote it this

way.

Kaona expressed through hidden meaning is an important part of this mele. We learn

from Kawena Pukui that it’s also important in Hawaiian writings too, “There are but two

meanings: the literal and the kaona, or hidden meaning” (Elbert 4).  There are a few hidden

meanings throughout the poem, “And now that’s why you’re the GOAT” (Ng). This allowed me

to show how he is a great player using acronyms.

 
 
 Works Cited

Dudois, Mahealani, “Carving a Hawaiian Aesthetic” in Oiwi: A Native Hawaiian 

Journal: Volume 1. Honolulu, HI: Kuleana Oiwi Press, 1998. Print

Elbert, Samuel H. “Connotative Values of Hawaiian Place Names” in Place Names of 

Hawaii. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 1976. Print

Elbert, Samuel H and Noelani Mahoe. Na Mele O Hawaii Nei: 101 Hawaiian Songs.

Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii PRess, 1970. Print

Ng, Kordel. “Kameron” Poem, 03 February 2020. 

Reichel, Keali‘i. “Hakukole”. Vimeo. May 2012. Web. 01 August 2014