Ka ʻĀlewalewa, Ka Pūnohu a me Ka Pūnohu ʻula
The ʻālewalewa, the pūnohu, and the pūnohu ʻula are grouped together on this page because of their close relationship. The ʻālewalewa does not ofter appear by itself, usually it occurs around the same time as the pūnohu or the pūnohu ʻula.
The features of the ʻālewalewa
According to the Hawaiian-English dictionaries, this is the definition for the ʻālewalewa:[1]
Pukui/Elbert: vs. Buoyant, floating.
Andrews: s. A cloud or smoke floating in the atmosphere; hookaa ka punohu ka alewalewa.
Perhaps, ʻālewalewa is different name for the pūloʻu, one source describes the features of the ʻālewalewa as being very similar to the definition of a pūloʻu.[2]
Primary trait: A low-lying rainbow
Secondary trait: A partial arc whose feet donʻt touch the ground.
An ʻālewalewa (na Hoaloha Westcott)
The features of the pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula
Eia ka wehewehena ma loko o nā puke wehewehe:[3]
Pukui/Elbert: 1. nvi., To rise, as smoke, mist; to billow out, as a ship's sail; to spread out, as a shrub with low branches or as a cloud, to whiffle; such rising.
2. n., Rainbow lying close to the earth.
.
Primary trait: A low-lying rainbow close to the earth
Secondary trait: A rainbow with the majority of the colors
A rainbow with predominately red color (pūnohu ʻula)
There are numerous pūnohu that appear in the Hawaiian traditional stories. Furthermore, it is necessary to research the pūnohu with great care because there other definitions of pūnohu other than it being a rainbow. As shown in the definitions above, sometimes the pūnohu is a mist or smoke, and sometimes a low-lying rainbow. The word pūnohu brings a connotation of the color red,[3] and therefore, sometimes pūhonu is written and sometimes pūnohu ʻula. The pūnohu ʻula is a form of Kāne (E Kāne i ka pūnohu ʻula).[4] Further, within the story of Kamaakamahiʻai, the pūnohu ʻula is a supernatural form of Kalanamainuʻu (a lizard).[5] The pūnohu ʻula is also a supernatural form of Lono. The pūnohu ʻula as well as other supernatural forms of Lono are seen at the start of the Makahiki, the arrival of the time of Lono. Some of the other forms of Lono seen at this time include the ʻōnohiʻ ula, the uakoko, the redish clould, the arching rainbows, and the ʻālewalea.[6] Some of these forms are seen in the lines of the following prayer called A Prayer for Lono (no translation provided)
“…Hina akula o Lono.
Ke aka o Lono i Kahiki.
Hina ae la ka pae opua,
I ka hiki’na o Lono.
Hina ae la ka onohiula,
I ka hiki’na o Lono.
Hina ae ka punohuula,
I ka hiki’na o Lono.
Hina ae la ka uakoko,
I ka hiki’na o Lono.
Hina ae la ke ao makoko,
I ka hiki’na o Lono.
Hina ae la ke anuenue,
I ka hiki’na o Lono.
Hina ae la ka alewalewa,
I ka hiki’na o Lono.
Hina ae la ka opua kiikii…”[7]
A pūnohu ʻula (na Maria1986nyc | Dreamstime.com)
A pūnohu (nā Kelly Hedrick | Dreamstime.com))
The pūnohu is associated with rain or it is a indicator of an approaching rain.[8] The pūhonu and pūnohu ʻula are low-lying rainbows, however, their specific features are not explained in the dictionary definitions. Therefore, an interesting question perhaps, is the pūnohu a partial arc or rainbow fragment? It seems that the pūnohu is a rainbow fragment, however, it is a low-lying fragment that is close to the land or ocean.[9] However, in the view of one source, the pūnohu appears only above the ocean, and furthermore, every rainbow that appears above the ocean is called a pūnohu.[10] However, there are examples within the traditional stories of a pūnohu appearing above the land.[11] It is difficult to clearly understand the specific characteristics of the pūnohu because of the different opinions of the various sources. These differences could be due to locality, family tradition, or interpretation. However, within the traditional stories and chants, there are many examples of the pūnohu appearing upright above the ocean. Namely, the upright (kū) pūnohu rather than an arching pūnohu (piʻo). See the Hawaiian side of this website for examples. Perhaps, it is for the observer to define the features of a pūnohu, given the variability in opinion. For this project a pūnohu is a low-lying rainbow fragment appearing above the land or ocean.
The strata that the pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula appear
The pūnohu is a low-lying rainbow close to the earth, however, what is the altitude of the pūnohu above the land or ocean? As was estimated in the low-lying rainbows page of this website, the top of a pūnohu would no more than 3400 - 4800 feet (or lower). this puts it in the lewa lani lewa
The times that the pūnohu, pūnohu appear
The times that the pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula appear are like the uakoko. The pūnohu is associated with rain, and the pūnohu ʻula with the gods, as in Kāne-i-ka-pūnohuʻula[12] Sometimes a rainbow would be called by a god as a thing to help them. Here is an example: when Kamapuaʻa was preparing for a battle, he called his godly form (no translation provided):
“Iho mai ana ka ua i lalo nei,
E kuu kino akua i ka lani,
E ka haka lei o Paoa
E mahele ana e ka ua e ka la,
E ka alewalewa,
E ka Punohu nui a kea,
I haule ai ka lani i ka honua
I hookaakaa ai ka lani e ua,...” [13]
The pūnohu was called upon in prayers for a particular place or event, as shown in this pule for Laka. Hula dancers chanted the following when entering the hula house (no translation provided):
“Kū ka pūnohu ʻula i ka moana
Hele ke ehu kai, uhi i ka ʻāina
ʻŌlapa ka uila, noho i Kahiki
ʻUʻina, nākolo
ʻUwā ka pihe
Lau kanaka ka hula
E Laka ē” [14]
The signs/omens of the ʻālewalewa and the pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula
The research results for the pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula are shown below. There were 13 signs/omens found within the sources analyzed. There are 49 occurrences of these signs/omens, and the signs concerning a movement were the most numerous (23). The Chi-square goodness-of-fit test was performed on the data, and the result is that the data varies significantly from an equal distribution and therefore one or more of the groups is significantly different than the others from a mathematical perspective.[15] Which group(s)? Perhaps it is the group of signs concerning a movement since it is the most numerous.
The signs/omens of the pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula
Translation Key
A pūnohu was witnessed by one source, and this prompted him to make a prediction of an earthquake occurring imminently. The pūnohu he saw was above Kalaeloa on March 10, 2011 at 7:05 in the morning. The next morning, the massive earthquake in Tohoku Japan occured.[16]
If a pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula and an ʻālewalea appear in sequence, it is a sign of an impending storm. The order in which they appear is different depending on time of day. Before sunset, the ʻālewalewa appears, followed by the pūnohu. This sequence is shown in the photographs below taken at Waiākea on the island of Hawaiʻi. Following this sequence, the next morning snow appeared on the peaks of Maunakea and Maunaloa.[18]
An ʻālewalewa (na Kalei Nuʻuhiwa). A pūnohu (na Kalei Nuʻuhiwa)
Before sunrise, the pūnohu ʻula appears followed by the ʻālewalewa. This sequence is shown in the photographs below, taken on the island of Mokumanamana. That night, a large storm arrived with rain, thunder, lightning, the island was struck by lightning.[19]
A pūnohu ʻula (na Kalei Nuʻuhiwa) An ʻālewalewa (na Kalei Nuʻuhiwa)
Examples for each of the signs/omens for the pūnohu, pūnohu ʻula are shown on the Hawaiian pages and are not available in English at this time.
[1] Wehewehe Wikiwiki. n.d. Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Hilo. https://hilo.hawaii.edu/wehe/. (Pukui/Elbert).
[2] Kalei Nuʻuhiwa 2020. Makahiki - Nā Maka o Lono; Utilizing the Papakū Makawalu Method to Analyze Mele and Pule of Lono and the Makahiki. Hamilton: University of Waikato. ʻaoʻao 215. Ua wehewehe ʻia nā hiʻohiʻona o ka ʻālewalewa e ʻanakala David Kaʻalakea iā Kalei Nuʻuhiwa.
[3] Wehewehe Wikiwiki. n.d. Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Hilo. https://hilo.hawaii.edu/wehe/. (Pukui/Elbert).
[4] June Gutmanis. 1983. Nā Pule Kahiko. Honolulu, HI: Editions Limited: 7.
[5] Marie Alohalani Brown. 2022. Ka Poʻe Moʻo Akua. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press. ʻaoʻao 108. Hooulumahiehie. 1911. "Moolelo Hoonaue Puuwai no Kama.A.Ka.Mahiai Ka Hiʻapaiʻole o ka Ikaika o ke Kai Huki Hee Nehu o Kahului." Ke Aloha Aina, Mei 20: 3.
[6] Kalei Nuʻuhiwa, 2020. Makahiki - Nā Maka o Lono; Utilizing the Papakū Makawalu Method to Analyze Mele and Pule of Lono and the Makahiki. Hamilton: University of Waikato, ʻaoʻao 215. Ua kilo ʻia nā akua Lono o ke kau makahiki o loko o kāna pepa nui laeʻula.
[7] Abraham Fornander. 2021. Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore VI. Vol. VI. 3 vols. Honolulu, HI: Short Stack of Native Books. ʻaoʻao 505-506.
[8] Kalei Nuʻuhiwa and Pualani Lincoln-Maielua. 2022. "Papahulilani." Papakū Makawalu Workshop. Hilo, HI: Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, January 15.
[9] Abraham Fornander. 2021. Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore VI. Vol. VI. 3 vols. Honolulu, HI: Short Stack of Native Books. ʻaoʻao 109.
[10] Kimokea Keaulana, ua nīnauele ʻia e Hoaloha Westcott. 2021. (ʻApelila 19).
[11] Hoʻoulumāhiehie. 2009. Ka Moʻolelo Hiwahiwa o Kawelo. Edited by Hiapo Perreira. Honolulu, HI: Bishop Museum Press., ʻaoʻao 49.
[12] Kalei Nuʻuhiwa, and Pualani Lincoln-Maielua. 2022. "Papahulilani." Papakū Makawalu Workshop. Hilo, HI: Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, January 15.
[13] S.K. Hukilanai. 1864. "Kumumanaʻo. Na Akua o Koonei Poe i ka Wa Kahiko." Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Novemaba 19: 4.
[14] Collette Leimomi Akana. Hānau Ka Ua. Honolulu, HI: Kamehameha Publishing, 2015: 247.
[15] ʻO ka hopena o ka hōʻike haʻihelu hoʻoili: χ2 (4, n = 49) = 28.45, p < 0.001. No laila, hōʻole ʻia ke kuhiakau kūpapa.
[16] Mika Lee, interview by Anthony Aalto. 2013. Hana Hou Magazine: Signs and Wonders Hana Hou Magazine, (January).
[17] He kaʻaʻike leka uila mai Kalei Nuʻuhiwa.
[18] k.l.
na Brian Dzyak | Picfair.com