A Custom Mele for Ward Village

In celebration of the expansion of Victoria Ward Park, Ward Village has commissioned Grammy-nominated, Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning musician and mele practitioner Zachary Lum to write an original song to enhance the streetscape.

The Hawaiian and English lyrics of the new mele “Kaulana Kukuluāeʻo,” are incorporated within the sidewalk fronting Victoria Place along Auahi Street in Ward Village, enhancing the streetscape. The song will also be played throughout the neighborhood.

Inspired by the location of Ward Village, Zachary combed through historical maps, place names, weather patterns, and native planting to inform the lyrics that honor the legacy of wayfinding and the land’s historical significance.