she loves to give um away
Now all of the neighbors they say
Oh me-yah, oh my-ya!
You really should try a little piece
of the Princess Pupule's papaya
Zazza zazza zazza zazza zay
To pass out papayas each day
For all of the neighbors they say
She may give the fruit
But she holds onto the root
And so she has the fruit and the root to boot
Zazza zazza zazza zazza zay
It was field day in her papaya groves
But I reached the gate an hour too late
The customers were lined up in droves
Go early in the morning
And it is true you'll never rue the day
And she loves to give um away
I mean papaya
She loves to give it away
**************************************************************************************************************
Princess Pupule is a hapa-haole Hawaiian song we used to sing when I was a kid. Pupule (poo-poo-leh) means "crazy" in Hawaiian. I seem to remember we danced a hula to it for a May Day performance one year in elementary school. All the girls wore muumuus hitched up around our hips with a strip of cloth just like Hilo Hattie who popularized the song.
she is adorable!
Posted by: kat | May 14, 2008 at 01:39 PM
She is very cute! You know, in Cuba "papaya" is slang for a certain part of the female anatomy (we always called it--the fruit!--"frutabomba"). I hope that's not true in Hawaii, too!
Posted by: Anamaria | May 14, 2008 at 01:58 PM
Oh, PP is too cute!
Posted by: sally | May 14, 2008 at 02:39 PM
She's adorable!
Posted by: dottycookie | May 15, 2008 at 12:04 AM
She so cute!
Posted by: Jennifer | May 15, 2008 at 03:29 AM
that is beyond cute! :)
Posted by: missy | May 15, 2008 at 03:02 PM
kawaii!!!
Posted by: darthfoofie | May 15, 2008 at 03:37 PM
You are just to good at what you do. I'm like, singing and dancing in my chair to all of the great memories that THAT song gives me!
Posted by: rowena | May 15, 2008 at 08:50 PM
She is so cute! I'm coming to Hawaii for my honeymoon- I'm so EXCITED!!!
Posted by: Lindseyrose | May 16, 2008 at 05:36 AM
I really like Princess Pupule, and I really like papayas! What a combo!
Posted by: Amanda | May 16, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Aloha lady! Ahh..tropical breezes and lovely hula hands! She reminds me of working at the farmer's market...those were the days..no papayas in Wa. State, just tomatoes, apples, and peaches. Your site is super dewper Kawaii! Very inspiring!
ciao ciao
momo
Posted by: momo | May 16, 2008 at 09:28 PM
She is toooo cute!!!!
Posted by: joyce | May 16, 2008 at 11:08 PM
I was just wondering (since you were the reason I started to watch it!) if you have seen the new Komaneko movies on YouTube? There is now a longer movie, and it's great!
cheers!
Posted by: amanda | May 17, 2008 at 02:30 PM
Her cuteness is shocking! My gosh. The talent that oozes out of you is amazing. :)
Did you ever see Trading Places with Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd? There's a scene in the train and Dan walks in and him and Eddie do a little chant that sounds like they say pupule, pupule, pupule HEY. This post reminded me of that.
Posted by: cindy | May 18, 2008 at 08:44 AM
OK, Couldn't help but sing along (out-loud even...) as I arrowed down looking at the pics! Princess pupule is just MAIKA'I!!! She's just too cute! & thanks for getting that song stuck in my head...gotta go hula now! a hui hou-Tina
Posted by: Tina | May 18, 2008 at 03:30 PM
I love that video! It brought back memories of my aunt who was a haole but lived in Hawaii for about 25 or 30 years. She would bring us leis when she came home to visit. I have a walking hula doll she gave me. You pulled her by a string. I also have a small child's jewelry box that has Kokeshi dolls on the top. I didn't know what they were until I saw your header and some fabric with them on it.
Posted by: Stephanie | May 19, 2008 at 05:17 PM
I love this princess, it´s so cute!
Posted by: Chikaboom | May 21, 2008 at 12:33 AM
i'm with the cubans, i always thought it was a racy song. my grampa used to sing it, and now mama don't 'low nuthin' but fruta bomba 'round here.
Posted by: jeannette | May 27, 2008 at 06:05 PM
What a cute little hula girl... I wish it was warm enough here for me to dress like that :o)
Posted by: Linnea | June 04, 2008 at 11:54 AM
She's so cute!
Posted by: Melissa | June 11, 2008 at 12:52 AM
WOW! That is crazy! My grandpa lived in Mn, growing up and was in a jazz band in the 20's...he had these OLD records and one of them was the Princess Papule. There was an instuction manual that taught you the hula dance that went to the song! My sister and I learned it and would put on shows for anyone who would listen. Some of the lyrics were taken out (of the recorded version we listened to) I can see. I still remember the who tune and dance. Princess was over the head, Papyli was hands beside the ear folded, Papaya was a opening gesture of cupped hands and so forth...I have never met another person who knows that song! We also sang another called Mini the Mermaid. It was a tad risque. My Dad would play the banjo while we sang. GOOD memories I passed on to my two girls whoa re now 21 and 17. We still sing our "car songs."
Thanks for sharing
Posted by: Jennifer Adams | August 03, 2008 at 06:14 PM