top of page
Ka Hakahakaea
(The green rainbow)

Wahi a nā puke wehewehe Hawaiʻi-Pelekane, ʻo kēia ka wehewehe ʻana o kēia ʻano ānuenue:

 

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

Pukui/Elbert:      n., Rainbow with much green color.

Hakahakaea.png

Photo by: Amnartk | Shutterstock.com

Kekahi kiʻi i hōʻoia ʻole ʻia:   Kuhikuhi kēia mau kiʻi i kēia ʻano ānuenue ma muli o ko ka mea kākau maopopo ʻana i nā wehewehe ʻana o nā puke wehewehe, ka pōʻaiapili ma loko o kekahi mau kaʻao, kekahi ʻatikala nūpepa, a me kekahi hoʻopaʻa leo Hawaiʻi.  ʻAʻole panina lākou.

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.

Nā hōʻailona a me nā ʻōuli:
(Signs and omens):

ʻAʻole e ʻike pinepine ʻia kēia ʻano ānuenue nani ma Hawaiʻi.  He hōʻailona a i ʻole he ʻōuli no kekahi mea like ʻole a hōʻike ʻano ʻia i lalo iho:

This type of beautiful rainbow is not often seen in Hawaiʻi.  It can be a sign or omen for a variety of things as described below:

Wahi a nā kaʻao   ʻAʻohe manawa o kēia ʻano ānuenue i ʻōʻili ai ma loko o nā kaʻao i kālailai ʻia.

According to the legends  This type of rainbow did not appear in the legends that were analyzed.

I ka wā hea ʻo ia e ʻōʻili ai?:
(When does it appear):

I kekahi moʻolelo i loko o kekahi nūpepa ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi i noho iho ai kekahi kāne a me kekahi wahine iʻu i ka ʻāina ʻo Kuaihelani.  ʻO Launahenahe ka inoa o ka wahine iʻu a ʻo Kāʻapeʻape ka inoa o ke kāne nohea.  Ma Kuaihelani, noho iho ʻo Kāʻapeʻape i kekahi ana a noho ʻo Launahenahe i kekahi hale lau maoheohe i loko o kekahi uakoko.  I kekahi lā i puka mai ai ʻo Launahenahe mai loko mai o ka hale a kahili ʻia aku ka noe o ka uakoko.  ʻIke pū iho ʻo Launahenahe lāua ʻo Kāʻapeʻape kekahi i kekahi a hū aʻela ko lāua kuko no ka hui pū ʻana.  Lālau ʻo Launahenahe i kekahi hakahakaea a kau pono akula i ka waha o ke ana o Kāʻapeʻape e malama ʻana, ʻO kēia hakahakaea, ʻo ia ke alanui a Launahenahe e hele ai a hui kino pū me Kāʻapeʻape.  Wahi a kēla moʻolelo:

 

"O Hakahakaea, oia ke anuenue omaomao i kau ia aku mai ka hale lau maoheohe aku a komo iloko o ke ana, i ka mao ana ae o ka noe uwahi, aia o Launahenahe i ka waha o ke ana kahi i ku hoohaʻi ai no kana ipo."

In one story in a Hawaiian language newspaper a mane and a women lived in the land called Kuaihelani.  Launahenahe was the name of the beautiful women and Kāʻapeʻape was the name of the handsome man.  In Kuaihelani, Kāʻapeʻape lived in a cave and Launahenahe lived in a fern leaf house inside a rainbow cloud.  One day Launahenahe emerged from the house and brushed away the mist of the rainbow cloud.  Launahenahe and Kāʻapeʻape saw each other and their desire to be together grew.  Launahenahe grabbed a green rainbow a perched it directly in the opening of the cave that Kāʻapeʻape was caring for.  As for this green rainbow, it is the road that Launahenahe went along and came together with Kāʻapeʻape.  According to this story:

As for the Hakahakaea, it is the green rainbow that was suspended from the tall leaf house until it entered inside the cave.  When the wispy mist cleared, Launahenahe was in the opening of the cave, the place where he proudly stood for his sweetheart.

References:  

1.  Unknown author. (1898, 26 March). Ka Moʻolelo o Kau Nahenahe ka Wahine ui hoohai o ka aina polo-polo-au o Keolewa i Hoao me Kaapeape.   Ka Loea Kalaiaina.  page 1.

Photo by: Amnartk | Shutterstock.com

bottom of page