Ka Uakoko
(The Blood Rain)
"Lei Mahiki i ka ua koko'ula."
"Mahiki wears a wreath of rainbow-hued rain."
According to the Hawaiian-English dictionaries, this is the definition o this type of rainbow:
Pukui/Elbert: 1. n., A low-lying rainbow. Literally, blood rain.
3. n., Reflection of rainbow colors in the clouds.
Andrews: s. See KOIULA, Kam., PUNOHU, &c. A cloud standing erect and having different colors, somewhat like the rainbow.
Parker: A cloud reflecting the colors of the rainbow; a rainbow shaft. Syn: Koiula.
The dictionary definitions for this type of rainbow are very broad. The Andrews dictionary indicates overlap with the definitions of the Koʻiʻula and the Pūnohu with the Uakoko.
Photo by: Manuel Balesteri | Dreamstime.com
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
This type of beautiful rainbow is often seen in Hawaiʻi. It can be a sign or omen for a variety of things as described below:
According to the legends This type of rainbow appears on 14 different occasions in the 4 legends analyzed in this study. It represents 6 different signs/omens as shown in the table to the right.
There are many sisters of the goddess Pele. Hiʻiakanoholani is one of these sisters. The ʻonohi ʻula and the uakoko are her signs.
When does it appear
"Ke kau mai nei ka makole."
According to a Hawaiian poetical saying:
"The red-eyed one rests above."
Said of the rainbow with red predominating. A sign to some people that their 'aumakua is watching them. .
The pūnohu and the uakoko are often seen at the same time. They can be seen as separate rainbows or as a singular red rainbow lying close to the earth. This relationship can be understood via excerpt of the article below:
The position of this low lying red rainbow and the rainbow that was arching directly above was beautiful when seen.
The uakoko often appears in the morning and the evening, posed inside the delicate misty clouds; or perhaps on the extremities of the fine misty rain clouds suspended in the upper atmosphere at a distant location (Nāwahī, 1893).
Photo by: Manuel Balesteri | Dreamstime.com