Nov 3 / Ilima Choy

Setting Your Hawaiian Clock

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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.
  • hikina:  eastern horizon
  • komohana:  western horizon
  • lolopua:  the zenith, the place in the sky directly above your head.
  • ke aouli:  celestial dome
  • Ke Alaula a Kāne: eastern sky, "the well traveled path of Kāne"
  • Ke Alanui Maʻaweʻula a Kanaloa:  western sky, "the road of the scarlet footprint of Kanaloa"

Ke Alo o Ka Mahina | Today's Moon Phase

"Peʻapeʻa maka walu."

Eight-eyed Peʻapeʻa.

‘Ōlelo No‘eau # 2621

Ancient Hawaiian timekeeping traditions are timeless.  Learning how to “set your clock” to Hawaiian timekeeping traditions can be easy if you just take the time to reset your thinking regarding time.  You must be wondering how to you set your clock? 
Well, observation and awareness is required…along with an open mind to adjust your thinking of time. To begin setting your clock, you need to… Recognize what to observe and how to observe, Conduct observations, and practice. 

What to Observe

Ke aouli is an imaginary dome used to determine the position of mea lani in the sky.  It is also known as a celestial dome.  In Hawaiian timekeeping, ke aouli is the face of your clock and nā mea lani are the hands to your clock.
Begin setting your clock by learning the parts of ke aouli and practice identifying the parts of ke aouli. Hikina is the eastern horizon.  Komohana is the western horizon.  The zenith, an area directly above your head, is called the lolopua. 
The area between hikina and the lolopua is known as the eastern sky, or Ke Alaula a Kāne.  The area between the lolopua and komohana is known as the western sky, or Ke Alanui Maʻaweʻula a Kanaloa.
Nā mea lani cycle across ke aouli in different rhythms. Ka Lā rises and sets daily, and only observed during lā. Nā kini hōkū rise and set as well, but are only observed during the pō.  The rate of movement for Ka Lā and nā kini hōkū are pretty much the same, but one is seen during lā and the other during pō.
Ka Mahina rises and sets as well…sometimes during lā and sometimes during pō.  This is because Ka Mahina’s rate of travel across ke aouli is slower than Ka Lā and nā kini hōkū. So Ka Mahina rises and sets later each day.   
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.

How to Observe

Making daily observations during different wā is needed to calibrate your thinking of time to the cycles and rhythms of nā mea lani. First you need to orient yourself so that you can accurately track the hands of your clock. Orient your body to the honua to determine your position in relation to your face of your clock. Identify the areas of ke aouli so that you can measure the movement of nā mea lani during your observations. 
Next, identify what you are tracking. Knowing what you are tracking and its cycles is important. You cannot track Ka Lā late at night because it is only visible during lā. It is difficult to track Ka Mahina early in the morning when it has already set. Watching a hōkū when Ka Lā is high above is impossible since the light from Ka Lā will definitely make it difficult.   
Finally, take the time to make your observations. Observations take time. Time to train your thinking so that when you encounter the same observations again, you can quickly identify what you are seeing. Think about what you are seeing. Test your skills of observation when setting your clock.  
See if you can locate Hikina and Komohana than use a compass to check your accuracy. See how long it takes Ka Lā to move from the horizon at sunrise to an area that’s a fist height above the horizon. If you guessed an hour, check your clock and see how accurate you are.

Activity

Using the Activity Card below, practice using what you have learned.  Then get out there and test your skills.

Drag the tiles to the correct drop zone.