Ua (Rain)
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
7. 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.
8. “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
9. “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 hall
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
10. 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.
11. 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).
Kapuaʻikanaka
“2. 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)
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.
KAHAWAI (STREAMS)
“Seven large streams begin as springs and tributaries on slopes in the Koʻolau Range, on Aniani Nui Ridge, and on Olomana, and then cross Maunawili Valley, carrying water to every tributary valley and lowland plain in the catchment. Clockwise from the south, these streams include ʻAinoni, Maunawili, ʻŌmaʻo, Palapū, Kahanaiki, Olomana, and Makawao. At least fifty springs – forty-three seasonal and seven perennial – recharge the streams, which eventually join Maunawili Stream today, to flow northeast through Kawainui Marsh and empty into Kailua Bay”
(Brennan & Allen, 2009, p. 73)
Brennan, P. and Allen, J. (2009). Life Along the Streams in Maunawili. In Kailua. (pp. 73-86) Kailua Historical Society.
PUNAWAI / WAI HŪ (SPRINGS)
Kapunawaiolaokapalai
The name of the ʻāina Hoʻokuaʻāina stewards is Kapunawaiolaokapalai, the living, lifegiving, healing spring of Kapalai.
Pikoakea
Spring found just below Awāwaloa. “The piko, the source of clean pure water that feeds the streams”
(Piliāmoʻo as cited in Saffery, 2009, p. 45)
Saffery, M. (2009). Pikoakea. In Kailua. (pp. 44-49). Kailua Historical Society.
LOKO IʻA (FISHPONDS)
…The eyes looked with eagerness on the plain of Alele where the chief Kakuhihewa vacationed. It was beautiful from the flats of Alaala to the coast of Puunaʻo and Kalaeohua, from the place of the drifting sea weed of Kuahine of the place of the lipoa sea weed of Oneawa. We saw the heiau of Leleiwi; pleasant Kapaa in the mist; Halekou, the pond of fat fish; Kaluapuhi (Eel pit); Waikolu; the famous pond of Kaelepulu where Makalei, the fish attracting stick stood. The necks of the birds appeared on the pond of Kawainui among the rushes…
Huakai Makaikai i na Wahi Pana o Kini Kailua
Oahu Places: Ke Au Hou
Aug. 9, 1911
(Sterling & Summers, p. 227)
“The ahupuaʻa of Kailua and its sources of foods such as the fishing grounds for ahi at Haoʻo, the kahala fish of Poʻo, the fat fishes of the ponds of Kawainui, Kaʻelepulu and Wakahulu, and the salt of Kaluapuhi (Mokapu), belonged to Maui-hope (Second-Maui).”
Kauakahiakahaola (Kamakau)
He manawa haowale anei Keia, a Kaili a pakahawale, Kuokoa, Nov. 27, 1875
(Sterling & Summers, p. 227-228)
Sterling, E. P. & Summers, C. C. (1978). Sites of Oahu. Bishop Museum Press.
Kaʻelepulu
Ka-ʻele-pulu. Pond (former fishpond), stream, and playground, now called Enchanted Lake, Kai-lua, Oʻahu. Lit., the moist blackness.
Pūkuʻi, Elbert, & Moʻokini. Place Names of Hawaiʻi. 1974, 2004. University of Hawaiʻi Press.
Kawainui
“Many Waters.” A large fresh water pond in Kailua, and famous for the oopu kuia and for having once possessed the famous fish log Makalei. The oopu kuia was a large fat mud fish, caught by many people joining hands and dancing in its waters to stir up mud, when the fish would run their heads up against the people, and so were caught. The fishes would cluster very thickly against particular individuals while leaving many others untouched, when, of course, he or she, would make a good haul and fill up his calabashes rapidly. This gave rise to the common saying of the olden times, “he ili ona ia” – “attractive skin.”
Dictionary of Hawaiian Localities
Saturday Press
Oct. 6, 1883
(Sterling & Summers, p. 230)
Sterling, E. P. & Summers, C. C. (1978). Sites of Oahu. Bishop Museum Press.
Mahinui (“great strength”)
A mountain, fishpond and stream at Mōkapu, Oʻahu. Name of a legendary hero defeated by Olomana. His body was cast from Olomana to its present location near Kalāheo.
Clark, John. Hawaiʻi Place Names. 2002. University of Hawaiʻi Press.
Pūkuʻi, Elbert, & Moʻokini. Place Names of Hawaiʻi. 1974, 2004. University of Hawaiʻi Press.
Compiled by Danielle Espiritu, Education Specialist
