ʻĀinahau by Miriam Likelike – Ukulele Chords

ʻĀinahau Ukulele Chords – Miriam Likelike. This song uses the chords: F, F7, Bb, C7. You can change the key for free, as needed.

ʻĀinahau Ukulele Chords – Miriam Likelike

FNa ka wai lūF7kini wai anuBbhea o ka rose

E hoʻC7opē nei i ka liko o nā Fpua

Na ka manu pīF7kake manu Bbhulu melemele

Nā kāC7hiko ia o kuʻu Fhome

Hui:

FNani wale kuʻu F7home ʻo ʻĀinaBbhau i ka ʻiu

I ka C7holu nape a ka lau o ka Fniu

I ka uluwehiF7wehi i ke ʻBbala o nā pua

Kuʻu C7home, kuʻu home i ka ʻiuʻFiu

FNa ka makani aheF7ahe i pā Bbmai ma kai
I lawe C7mai I ke onaona līpFoa
E hoʻonipo hoʻonF7ipo me ke ʻalBba o kuʻu home
Kuʻu C7home, kuʻu home i ka ʻiuʻiFu

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“ʻĀinahau” History:

The song “ʻĀinahau” was written by Miriam Likelike, the sister of Liliʻuokalani and Kalākaua. She was part of the famous royal musical family known as Nā Lani ʻEhā (“The Heavenly Four”), who had a tremendous influence on Hawaiian music and culture.

“ʻĀinahau” is one of Likelike’s best-known compositions. The song is essentially a love letter to her Waikīkī estate, called ʻĀinahau, where she lived with her husband, Archibald Scott Cleghorn, and where their daughter Kaʻiulani grew up.

The name “ʻĀinahau” is often translated as either “cool land” or “land of the hau trees.” The estate became legendary in Hawaiian history for its gardens, peacocks, flowers, and musical gatherings.

The lyrics describe:

• fragrant roses and flowers,
• swaying coconut palms,
• gentle sea breezes,
• the scent of limu (seaweed) from the ocean,
• and the famous peacocks that wandered the grounds.

The refrain praises the beauty and dignity of the home:

“Beautiful is my home,
ʻĀinahau so regal …”

The song is deeply Hawaiian in spirit because it doesn’t merely describe property — it expresses emotional connection to place, nature, beauty, and aloha. Hawaiian mele often treat land as something living and spiritually meaningful rather than just scenery.

Here is a famous portion of the song in Hawaiian:

“Nani wale kuʻu home
ʻO ʻĀinahau i ka ʻiu”

which is commonly translated as:

“Beautiful indeed is my home,
ʻĀinahau in its grandeur.”

The estate itself later became associated with Princess Kaʻiulani and Hawaiian royal history. It stood in what is now the Waikīkī area of Honolulu.

Visually, ʻĀinahau and its royal atmosphere are closely associated with peacocks, tropical gardens, and old Waikīkī:

One interesting detail: unlike many Hawaiian songs that are romantic love songs directed toward a person, “ʻĀinahau” centers on a beloved home and the feeling of peace and beauty connected with it. Scholars and Hawaiian music historians often point to it as one of Likelike’s most personal compositions.