"Hawai`i, Hawai`i
Like a dream so I came
But my tears are flowing now
In the canefields."
Listen to the hole hole bushi.
"My husband cuts the cane
I do the hole hole (strip leaves)
By sweat and tears
We get by."

"Kane wa kachiken
Washa horehore yo
Asa to namida no
Tomokasegi."

"When I left Yokohama
I cried as I sailed out
But now I have children
And even grandchildren, too."
"Hole hole bushi" are the only surviving folk tunes describing life and work among immigrant laborers on Hawai`i's sugar plantations. The first generation immigrant Japanese (Issei) brought work songs from their homeland and created the new lyrics to reflect the new environment. Lyrics reflect the struggle, tragedy and humor of life with references to working and living conditions including political and social commentary.