ʻĀpuakea
This is a general rain for Koʻolaupoko. Especially Kailua, Waimānalo and Kāneʻohe. ʻĀpuakea was a very beautiful woman, that out of jealousy perhaps, Hiʻiaka turned into rain.
“The ʻĀpuakea rain of Koʻolaupoko was named after ʻĀpuakeanui, the most beautiful woman in Kailua from the moʻolelo of the goddess Hiʻiakaikapoliopele”.
(Akana & Gonzalez, 2015, aoao xvi)
“‘Āpuakea. Rain associated with Hāna, Maui, and with Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu, and found in other areas. Also the name of a place in Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu”.
(Akana & Gonzalez, 2015, aoao 4)
Rain of Kailua, Oʻahu
E ka ua ʻĀpuakea
Kui ʻia mai nā ʻāhihi
Na ka Malanai e lawe mai
I wehi i ʻohu no Kalani
O ʻĀpuakea rain
The ʻāhihi blossoms are to be strung
The Malanai wind will bring them
As a decoration, an adornment for the chief
From the song “Pela kapu o Kakae” by the Kawaihau Glee Club.
Hawaiian source: Holstein 33. English trans. By author.
“Akā, ʻo kaʻu wahi ʻai naʻe, aia lā i ka ua ʻĀpuakea o Kailua.” “But the food I was is there in the ʻĀpuakea rain of Kailua.”
Said by Hiʻiakaikapoliopele, referring to the lūʻau leaves broiled by Kaʻanahau.
Hawaiian source: Hoʻoulumāhiehie, Ka Moʻolelo 450.
English trans.: Hoʻoulumāhiehie, Epic 420.” (Akana & Gonzalez, 2015, aoao 6)
Rain of Kekele, luluku, and Maluaka, Oʻahu
“No kēlā ino mai ʻo ʻĀpuakeanui i loaʻa mai ai kēlā ua kaulana o Kailua e hele mai ai a haluku iho i ka ulu hala o Kekele me Luluku, ʻo ia hoʻi ka ua ʻĀpuakea, i holo ma ko ke mele, penei:
….
Hele haʻaheo ka ua ʻĀpuakea
Holo ʻaui i ke kai o Maluaka ē, i laila
Kaʻa ʻōlelo ka ua i luna o ka hala
Ke poʻo o ka hala o ʻĀhulimanu
From that name, ʻĀpuakeanui, came the name of the famous rain of Kailua that pummels the hala groves of Kekele and Luluku, namely the ʻĀpuakea, which goes like this in song:
…….
The ʻĀpuakea rain moves proudly along
Slipping off into the sea of Maluaka, ah, there
Words are spoken by the rain on the hala
The uppermost hala of ʻĀhulimanu
From the legend of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele.
Hawaiian source: Hoʻoulumāhiehie, Ka Moʻolelo 146.
English trans.: Hoʻoulumāhiehie, Epic 137-38. Note: Hoʻoulumāhiehie says that “ʻĀpuakeanui” is the name of a woman who was considered the most beautiful in all of Kailua, Oʻahu.
Rain of Koʻolau, Oʻahu
E hoʻi e ka uʻi o Koʻolau
ʻOiai ua malu nā pali
ʻO ka neʻe a ka ua ʻĀpuakea
Kāhiko i ke oho o ka palai
Let the youth of Koʻolau return home
For the cliffs are shaded
The creeping of the ʻĀpuakea rain
That adorns the fronds of the palai ferns
From the song “Pali Koolau.”
Hawaiian source: Holstein 74.
English trans. by author.
Aloha wale ka leo ua makani
Ka leo heahea o ka ua ʻĀpuakea
E hea ana i ke ao makani kualau
So beloved is the windy, rainy voice
The calling voice of the ʻĀpuakea rain
Calling to the windy kualau rain cloud
From an affectionate greeting by Kahelekūlani to her child.
Hawaiian source: Kaualilinoe, “Ka moolelo” 11/12/1870.
English trans. by author. Additional source: Kaualilinoe, “Legend” (Akana & Gonzalez, 2015, aoao 89).
Akana, C. L. and Gonzalez, K. (2015). Hānau Ka Ua: Hawaiian Rain Names. Kamehameha Publishing: Honolulu.
Kapuaʻikanaka
I ia wā ʻo ia i ʻike aku ai ia ka hele kawewe ʻana aʻe a ka ua i Pālāwai….I kēia wā i paeaea aʻe ai ʻo ia i kēia kau e pili ana i ke kāne, iā Kaʻanahau, a iā Pele nō hoʻi.
Kuʻu kāne i ke ala pili o Mahinui
Mai ka ua Kapuaʻikanaka i Pālāwai
Ka ua o Kailua i kai ē
At that point, she recognized the thrumming rain of Pālāwai…At this time, she presented the following chant about Kaʻanahau, which also pertained to Pele.
My man of the clinging path of Mahinui
From the [Kapuaʻikanaka] rain of Pālāwai that follows like footsteps
The rain of Kailua by the sea
From the legend of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele. Kaʻanahau of Kailua, Oʻahu, was Hiʻiaka’s lover.
Hawaiian source: Hoʻoulumāhiehie, Ka Moʻolelo 154.
English trans.: Hoʻoulumāhiehie, Epic 145.” (Akana & Gonzalez, 2015, aoao 68)
Akana, C. L. and Gonzalez, K. (2015). Hānau Ka Ua: Hawaiian Rain Names. Kamehameha Publishing: Honolulu.
Kuahine
…ʻO ka ua Kuahine, ʻo ka ua ia mai Kailua a hiki i ʻUalakaʻa.
…The ua Kuahine is the rain from Kailua to ʻUalakaʻa.”
(Akana & Gonzalez, 2015, aoao 278)
Akana, C. L. and Gonzalez, K. (2015). Hānau Ka Ua: Hawaiian Rain Names. Kamehameha Publishing: Honolulu.
Pōpōkapa
Ka ua popo kapa is a soft, gentle rain of Maunawili and Ka Nuku o Nuʻuanu (hairpin lookout turn). This is a gentle rain that still makes us “popo” our “kapa.” It makes us roll up our clothes bundles so they won’t get wet. This is a vital rain to replenish our aquifer. Maunawili sits upon our aquifer.
Compiled by Danielle Espiritu, Education Specialist
