Polynesian Chant: Haʻehaʻe and Jellyfish Clouds

This cloud drifts like an enormous jellyfish floating through water, suspended in the vast blue sky. Its billowing form feels almost alive, gracefully navigating the currents as if the air itself were liquid. I wanted a poem or chant that could capture that same sense of suspension and reverence, and I found it in a Hawaiian chant:

He ui, he nīnau —E ui aku ana au iā ʻoe:

Aia i hea ka wai a Kāne?

At the eastern gate, where the sun comes in at Haʻehaʻe — there is the water of Kāne.

I spent time learning about the chant’s culture and history, which deepened my connection to both the image and its meaning.

Haʻehaʻe as a Spiritual Place

Haʻehaʻe, the eastern gate, holds special importance in Hawaiian tradition. It marks the place where the sun enters the world each morning, bringing light and warmth.

The Importance of the Water of Kāne

Respect for water is central to Hawaiian practices, including careful management of streams and springs, the water of Kāne is life-giving and purifying.

Historical Context of the Chant

The chant He Mele no Kāne—from which the lines “He ui, he nīnau ... Aia i hea ka wai a Kāne?” are taken—is an ancient Hawaiian mele (song/chant) from the island of Kauaʻi. It venerates Kāne, a major god associated with fresh water, life, and the natural cycles of rain, springs, clouds, seas, and land. The chant enumerates places where the life-giving water of Kāne is found—from sunrise gates to mountaintops, valleys, rivers, clouds, and the ocean—affirming the sacred presence of water everywhere.

Historically, this mele was transmitted orally across generations by kānaka māoli (native Hawaiians). It functioned both as a spiritual hymn and as a practical guide to understanding natural water sources. Documentation of He Mele no Kāne in written form comes from Nathaniel B. Emerson’s 1909 publication Unwritten Literature of Hawaiʻi, and it continues to be preserved and performed today in cultural collections and digital recordings.