The Rainbow, The Night rainbow
Ka Mākole, Pō Mākole, Ānuenue kau pō

​The features of night rainbows

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According to the Hawaiian-English dictionaries, this is the definition o this type of rainbow:

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Pukui/Elbert:      3. n. Rainbow. Pō mākole, night with a [lunar] rainbow.[1] 

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Primary trait:             A rainbow with 1 arc

Secondary trait:        A rainbow with the majority of the colors 

                                 A full rainbow with much red color

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The name mākole was used in the past to mean rainbow, like the term ānuenue. However, at this time it is not generally used in the same way as ānuenue.[2] 

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           He mākole (na Alex Grichenko | Dreamstime.com).                                               He pō mākole (na Nick Sellway | Dreamstime.com)

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​There are ​​​numerous examples of the word mākole being used to in the same way as ānuenue in the past. See the Hawaiian side of this website for these examples.​​​

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The strata that the mākole/pō mākole appear

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​The strata of the mākole/pō mākole is the same as the full arching rainbow. Namely, the lewa lani, the lewa nuʻu, and a portion of the lewa lani lewa.​

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The times in which the mākole/pō mākole appear

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The times that the mākole/pō mākole appear are the same as the full arching rainbow. However, 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.

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The signs of the pō mākole

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For this project, only two signs/omens were found for the pō mākole. Namely the residence of a ruler/monarch/extraordinary being or spirit, and the pointing to the path of a monarch.

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​Translation Key

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Examples of the two signs/omens are not available in English at this time, see the Hawaiian side of the website.​

[1] Wehewehe Wikiwiki. Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Hilo. n.d. https://hilo.hawaii.edu/wehe/. (Pukui-Elbert).

[2] J.W.K.K, "Haina Nane." Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Septemaba 2, 1910: 5.

      Abraham Fornander. 2021. Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore VI. Vol. VI. 3 vols. Honolulu, HI: Short Stack of Native Books. ʻaoʻao 101.

      Wehewehe Wikiwiki. Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Hilo. n.d. https://hilo.hawaii.edu/wehe/. (Pukui-Elbert).

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