I ka lewa ma luna o ka paeʻāina Hawaiʻi e ʻōʻili aʻe ai ke ānuenue kupaianaha. Nani maoli nō kēia mau ānuenue, akā naʻe, he aha ka manaʻo a me ke kaona o kēia mau mea pāhaʻohaʻo?  

 

ʻO kekahi manaʻo ʻano nui nō ka hōʻailona o ke akua a iʻole ke aliʻi nui.  Lehulehu nō nā moʻolelo a me nā kaʻao Hawaiʻi nona ke ānuenue.  I ka wā kahiko, he hōʻailona nō ke ānuenue o nā mea pōmaikaʻi a me nā manawa hoʻowaiwai.  Ua hānau ʻia kekahi mau pēpē aliʻi i ka manawa o ke ānuenue i ʻōʻili aʻe ai.  Ua lilo kēia mau pēpē i aliʻi nui, pēlā nō, ua hoʻokō ʻia ko lākou hopena i wānana ʻia e ke ānuenue.  Ua ukali ʻia kekahi mau aliʻi e ke ānuenue no ko lākou ola holoʻokoʻa. 

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Ua unuhi ʻia nā hōʻailona ānuenue e nā kāhuna akā maopopo nō hoʻi ia hōʻailona i kekahi ʻohana a me kekahi kanaka pākahi.  Ua hoʻoili ʻia nā unuhi ʻohana mai kēlā me kēia hanauna.  He kāwili nō ka unuhi o kekahi moʻolelo kaʻao a me kekahi unuhi ponoʻī.  Wahi a Kawena Pukui, ʻo ka manaʻo o ke ānuenue ma mua ou, hoʻi aku.  Aia kekahi mea pōʻino ma mua, a i ʻole, manaʻo paha, e hala iho ana kekahi kanaka i aloha ʻia, a i ʻole ua make kekahi aliʻi a hoʻi aku ʻo ia no ka hui pū hou ʻana i kona ʻaumakua, a i ʻole, e kaʻawale aku ana kekahi mea. A i ʻole, i ka manawa o kekahi pēpē e hānau ʻia, a ʻōʻili ke ānuenue, manaʻo paha, he pēpē pōmaikaʻi nō kēia.  E manaʻo ʻia nō hoʻi, he hoʻāpono hoʻokalakupua ke ānuenue.

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Hāpai nō hoʻi ke ānuenue i kekahi hōʻailona kūʻē.  ʻike kekahi poʻe i ke ānuenue he hōʻailona o ka make a i ʻole ka pōpilikia, ʻoiai ʻike kekahi poʻe ʻē aʻe i ke ānuenue he hōʻailona pōmaikaʻi.

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Hiki ke ʻike ʻia kekahi laʻana o ka hōʻailona pōʻino ma loko o kēia ʻōlelo noʻeau:

 

'"Akahi ka ho'i ka paoa, ke kau nei ka makole pua he'o."

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ʻŌlelo ʻia, i ka manawa o ke ānuenue e ʻōʻili ai ma mua o ke ala o kekahi kanaka e huakaʻi ʻoihana ana.  E like me ka ʻike ʻana i kekahi kanaka mākole kēia hōʻailona, e aho ka huli ʻana a hoʻi ʻana i ka home.

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In the sky above the Hawaiian archipelago the wondrous rainbows appear.  These rainbows are truly beautiful, however, what is the meaning and the concealed meaning of these mysterious things?

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One important meaning is the sign of the gods or royalty.  There are numerous stories and Hawaiian legends that contain rainbows.  In ancient times, the rainbow was a sign of the blessed ones and of prosperous times.  Some royal babies were born at the time rainbows appeared.  These babies became royalty, and in that way, their destiny, that was foretold by the rainbow, was fulfilled.  Some aliʻi were followed by the rainbow for their entire lives.

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The rainbow signs were often interpreted by priests but they were also understood by families and individuals.  Family interpretations were handed down from each generation.  The interpretation was often a blend of historical legend and personal interpretation.  According to Kawena Pukui, "The rainbow right in front of one could mean "go back".  There is danger ahead, or it might mean that somebody close and loved is going to die. Or that an aliʻi had died and is returning and is rejoining his ʻaumākua.  Or that some kind of separation is going to happen. Or, a rainbow appearing just as a baby is born could mean this is an especially blessed baby."  A rainbow can also mean supernatural approval.

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The rainbow also carries conflicting symbolism.  Some people see it as a sign of death or disaster, while others see it as a sign of good fortune.

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An example of a sign of bad luck can be seen in this poetical saying:

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"Here is a sign of ill luck, for the red-eyed bright-hued one rests above."

 

Said when a rainbow appears before the path of one who was on a business journey. Such a rainbow is regarded the same as meeting a red-eyed person-a sign of bad luck. Better to turn around and go home

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ʻO kekahi mau manaʻo i loko o kekahi kumu like ʻole:

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Wahi a Iosepa Nāwahī, ʻoiai kona ʻōlelo ʻana e pili ana i ka ʻōʻili ʻana o ke ānuenue:

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"ʻO ka wehewehe ʻana aku i nā kumu ʻoiaʻiʻo maoli a me ka hoʻākāka ʻana aku, i nā loina maopopo loa e pili ana i ke ānuenue a ko ke akua mana i kau aku ai ma ke aouli o ka lani; ʻo ia nō kekahi o nā kumuao ʻike maoli i kūpono i ka ʻuhane ʻike a ke akua i haʻawi mai ai i ke kanaka, i mea e kōkua ai i kona hoʻomaopopo maoli ʻana aku i ko ke akua mana nui kiʻekiʻe loa." (Nāwahī, 1893).

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Wahi a kekahi mau kahuna lāʻau lapaʻau, he mea maikaʻi ke alo 

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Some meanings from various sources: 

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According to Joseph Nāwahī, in talking about the appearance of rainbows:

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The explanation of the genuine true source and interpreting, the understood customs about the rainbow that the mana of the gods placed in the blue vault of heaven; it is one of the native knowledge foundations that was reliable in the knowing spirit that the gods gave to man, as a way to help i his native understanding of the very exalted grand mana of the gods (Nāwāhī, 1893).

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According to some medical practiioners, the presence (of a rainbow) is a good thing.

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Loaʻa kēia mau manaʻo i loko o nā moʻolelo/kaʻao i kālailai ʻia na kēia papahana:

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He hōʻailona no ke kū mai o kekahi aliʻi/akua
Ka hiki mai auaneʻi o kekahi aliʻi 
He hōʻailona no ke kū mai o kekahi aliʻi i ka lā
Ka haʻalele ʻana o ke aliʻi/akua
He ala ānuenue i ka mahina/lewa/pali
He Wānana
Ke kō ʻana o kekahi wānana
Ka ʻaʻahu ʻia o kekahi aliʻi 
He manawa kūpono e hoʻi mai ai
Ke kuhikuhi ʻana i ke ala a ke aliʻi 
Ka nohona o kekahi mau ʻeʻepa
He kaona no kekahi aliʻi

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These meanings are found in the stories/legends that were analyzed for this project:

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The presence of an Aliʻi/akua
The impending arrival of an Aliʻi 
The presence of an Aliʻi living in the sun 
The departing of an aliʻi
A rainbow path to the moon/sky/cliff
A prophecy or foretelling
The fulfilling of a prophecy
The wrapping of an Aliʻi in a rainbow 
An appropriate time to return/go
Pointing to the path of an Aliʻi
A dwelling of an extraordinary being
A metaphor for an aliʻi

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References:   

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1.  Iosepa Nawahī. (1893, May 24). Ke Ānuenue a me Ka Luakalailani. Ka Leo o ka Lāhui, pp. 2-3

2.  unknown author (1930, June 3).  Moolelo no ko Hawaii Oihana Kahuna KAPAIA KA OIHANA HOOMANA NO         KE ANUENUE AME KA UA.  Ka Hoku o Hawaii. page 1.

3.  Pukui, M.K., Haertig, E.W., Lee, C.A. (1972).  Nānā i ke Kumu Vol I.  Honolulu.  Hui Hānai.

4.  Pukui, M.K., Haertig, E.W., Lee, C.A. (1972).  Nānā i ke Kumu Vol II.  Honolulu.  Hui Hānai.

5.  Pukui, M. K. (1983). ʻŌlelo Noʻeau. Honolulu, HI: Bishop Museum Press.