Nov 2 / Ilima Choy

Pō: A day in Hawaiian Time.

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Hua ‘Ōlelo Hou

Here are some of the terms that you will find in this article and a definition based upon the context that they are used.
  • pō:  nighttime(n) and a measurement of time equal to day(d)
  • lā: daytime
  • ka lā hiki:  sunrise
  • ka lā kau:  sunrise
  • nā mea lani:  celestial bodies
  • kūkulu:  horizon
  • hikina:  east, location where Ka Lā arrives
  • komohana:  west, location where Ka Lā sets
  • Ke ala o Ka Lā:  the path of the Sun
  • Ke ala o Ka Mahina:  the path of the Moon
  • ke ala o nā hōkū:  the path of the stars
  • wā o ka pō:  periods of time during a day
  • ao:  dawn

  • ahiahi:  evening

he lā + he pō = pō

“Mai ka lā hiki a ka lā kau.”

From the sun’s arrival to the sun’s rest.

‘Ōlelo No‘eau # 2062

What is Pō?

Pō is a day in Hawaiian time.  There are two parts of a pō(day).  They are lā (daytime) and pō (nighttime).  That’s right…pō is also the hua ‘ōlelo used to reference a day as well as nighttime.  Ka lā hiki, sunrise, is the transition from pō(n) to lā.  Ka lā kau, sunset, is the transition from lā to pō(n).
Some timekeeping traditions recognize a pō(d) as a time from ka lā hiki to ka lā hiki (sunrise to sunrise).  Others recognize a pō(d) as the time from ka lā kau to ka lā kau (sunset to sunset).  It is important to know which tradition you are using to determine which method of timekeeping you are using.  Either way you look at it, a lā and a pō(n) are equal to a pō(d).

Ke Ala o Nā Mea Lani

Ke ala o Ka Lā is the path that Ka Lā makes across ke aouli every pō(d). Ka Lā arrives at the kūkulu of Hikina every morning, travels across ke aouli during the lā, than sinks below the kūkulu of Komohana. Ke ala o Ka Mahina is the path of Ka Mahina, and ke ala o nā hōkū is the paths of nā kini hōkū.
Ke ala o Ka Lā is the path that sets the standard of time for a pō(d) since it’s hiki and kau determines when a pō(d) has passed.  It is also the path that is used to reckon the periods of time during a lā as Ka Lā is tracked along its path.
Ke ala o nā hōkū are the paths that are used to reckon the periods of time during the pō(n) since the rate of travel for a hōkū is similar to Ka Lā. It is also because nā hōkū are only seen during the pō(n). Ke ala o Ka Mahina is used to reckon time during a malama since its path has a different rhythm than Ka Lā and nā kini hōkū.

Nā Wā o Ka Pō

In addition to the two wā that divide a pō, there are other periods of times during a pō. The wā o ka pō that begins with the first glow of light announcing the arrival of Ka Lā is called ao, while the wā that occurs during the fading of Ka Lā’s light is ahiahi. The table below below lists the basic wā o ka pō, their description, and characteristics.
Determining time is done by observing ke kūkulu and ke aouli.  Knowing the location of celestial bodies such as Ka Lā, Ka Mahina, and nā kini hōkū help in recognizing the wā.  It is important to be aware of the location of the celestial bodies that you are using to reference a wā during a pō.  See if you can recognize nā wā o ka pō by labeling them correctly in the activity below.

Activity

Let's see if you can use the information from this article to properly label the illustration below.  Drag the tiles and drop them into the correct drop zone.