Nov 16 / Ilima Choy

Nā Manawa o Ka Makahiki:  The seasons of a year.

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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.
  • Ke Ala o Ka Lā:  the daily path of the Sun
  • makahiki:  solar year
  • ilalo: below, downward, south
  • iluna:  above, upward, north 
  • Ka Huakaʻi o Ka Lā:  the annual movement of the Sun along the horizon
  • ke aouli:  celestial dome

  • Ke Alanui i Ka Piko o Wākea :  equator (earth and celestial)

  • Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kanaloa:  southern most path of the Sun

  • Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne:  northern most path of the Sun

  • kau:  seasonal period of time during a solar year

  • manawa:  period of time during a kau
  • Hoʻoilo:  season when the Sun rises and sets south of the equator, also the second period of time during this kau
  • Laʻa-make: the first period of time during the kau of Hoʻoilo
  • Kau:  season when the Sun rises and sets north of the equator, also the second period of time during the kau of Kau
  • Laʻa-ulu:  the first period of time during the kau of Kau
  • mea kanu:  flora

“Ka hikina o ka lā i Ha’eha’e…

Ho’opunana ho’i i Makanoni.”

The entrance of the sun at Haehae
Making its nest, too, at Makanoni.

Mai He ‘Oli No o Ka Mo’i o Kauikeouli
“Kolo Māpu Le`a I Ke Ahiahi”

Ke Ala o Ka Lā

The daily path of Ka Lā is used to determine time during a pō.  This path is called "Ke Ala o Ka Lā".  It begins at Hikina and ends at Komohana.  But this path doesn't remain at the same location in Hikina and Komohana during a makahiki.  It moves ilalo and iluna.

Nā Alanui o Ke Aouli

This movement of Ke Ala o Ka Lā during the makahiki is called "Ka Huakaʻi o Ka Lā". During the huakaʻi of Ka Lā, the alanui, or path, of Ka Lā will align with transitional points or other paths. These paths are at known locations and mapped in ke aouli.

The first alanui of ke aouli is a path that begins along the hālāwai at the location of the celestial equator which begins at due East and ends at due West. This alanui is known as "Ke Alanui i Ka Piko o Wākea." Another name for this alanui is "Ke alanui a ke kuʻukuʻu." A Kuʻukuʻu is a short legged spider that lowers itself from a single strand.  

The second alanui of ke aouli is a path that begins along the hālāwai at the location where Ka Lā's path is the farthest ilalo. This alanui is known as "Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kanaloa." The third alanui of ke aouli is a path that begins along the hālāwai at the location where Ka Lā's path is the farthest iluna. This alanui is known as "Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne."

Nā Kau - Nā Manawa

The huakaʻi of Ka Lāʻs daily path along the horizon changes the length of day and night.  This in turn affects weather patterns and causes environmental changes.  These seasonal environmental changes and weather patterns are known as kau.  There are two kau in the Hawaiian calendar.   A kau is further divided into two manawa.  These manawa are based upon the direction that Ka Lā is moving along the horizon.

Hoʻoilo is the kau when Ka Lā makes its journey ilalo (south) along the horizon from Ke Alanui i Ka Piko o Wākea.  The nights are long and the days are short.  Storms from the north arrive in Hawaiʻi, and the air become dry and cool.  This is the time of the makahiki when mea kanu begin to die back and the time of Lono is upon us.  This is when ka poʻe kahiko would celebrate their harvest, taxes were collected, and annual games would occur.


The two manawa of Hoʻoilo are Laʻa-make and Hoʻoilo.  During the manawa of Laʻa-make, Ka Lā will travel ilalo from Ke Alanui i Ka Piko o Wākea to Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kanaloa.  Once Ka Lā reaches Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kanaloa, it will begin itʻs journey iluna back to Ke Alanui i Ka Piko o Wākea.  This manawa is Hoʻoilo.

Kau is not only the hua ʻōlelo for a season, it is also the name of the season that follows Hoʻoilo.  This is the kau when Ka Lā makes its journey iluna (north) along the horizon Ke ala o Ka Piko a Wākea.   The nights are short and the days are long.  The mea kanu flourish, the days are warm, and the clouds gather on the high mountains.

The two manawa of Kau are Laʻa-ulu and Kau.  During the manawa of Laʻa-ulu, Ka Lā will travel iluna from Ke Alanui i Ka Piko o Wākea to Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne.  Once Ka Lā reaches Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne, it will begin itʻs journey ilalo back to Ke Alanui i Ka Piko o Wākea.  This manawa is Kau.

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