Ka Pō Mākole
(The night rainbow)
Ke Ānuenue kau Pō
(The Night of a Lunar Rainbow)
According to the Hawaiian-English dictionaries, this is the definition o this type of rainbow:
Pukui/Elbert: 3. n. Rainbow. Pō mākole, night with a [lunar] rainbow.
Photo by: Arne-kaiser | commons.wikimedia.org
Unverified Photos: These photos demonstrate this type of rainbow based on the authorʻs understanding of the dictionary definitions, context within some Hawaiian legends, newspaper articles, and Hawaiian language recordings. They are not definitive.
Signs and omens
Although this type of rainbow appears on nights with a bright moon, some people report seeing this type of rainbow upon the death of a loved one. One story in particular is of a family whose beloved father passed away, and on the moonless night following his funeral a Pō Mākole appeared in front of their house. It was interpreted as a sign of their beloved father.
According to the legends This type of rainbow appears on 1 different occasions in the 4 legends analyzed in this study. It represents 1 different signs/omens as shown in the table to the right.
When does it appear
The Pō Mākole can be seen on nights with a bright moon.
Photo by: Arne-kaiser | commons.wikimedia.org