“Chanted Hawaiian words and phrases could be called spoken Hawaiian poetry because of their rhythm and beauty. This poetry was often filled with kaona (hidden meanings). A phrase about a pua (flower) could be referring to a sweetheart or a beloved place, even a highly regarded monarch. A phrase mentioning chattering birds may refer to gossip, for example. The mana (spiritual power) of an oli is layered in its themes and kaona. Additional hidden meanings, like rain as a metaphor for love, or the lehua blossom as a metaphor for warrior, could make a chant either a recounting of an actual event or reference to love and war, depending on who heard and understood the chant. As such, the oli may be understood on different levels by different people.

Chants were composed for many reasons, such as chants of birth, death, genealogy, love, naming, praise, prophecy, or events. A chant composed for a particular person became the property of that person or that ‘ohana.”

Source: The Hidden Power and Tradition of Oli By Karen Valentine Kapono

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