Ke Koʻiʻula
(The misty rainbow)
According to the Hawaiian-English dictionaries, this is the definition o this type of rainbow:
Pukui/Elbert: n., Rainbow-hued rain, mist, cloud.
Photo by: Forest and Kim Starr | 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
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 did not appear in the legends that were analyzed.
When does it appear
Sometimes, the koʻiʻula is associated with the passing of an aliʻi or another person. This is the thing that is often said: Passed along the rainbow hued trail of Kāne.
Photo by: Forest and Kim Starr | commons.wikimedia.org