Hawaiian Skies: Makaliʻi 2025
By Leilehua Yuen, Hawaiʻi Culture and Language Resident at Gemini / NOIRLab
Makaliʻi (21 Nowemapa - 19 Kēkēmapa 2025)
The malama of Makaliʻi marks the turning of the Hawaiian year and the start of the Makahiki. For a deeper dive into the Makahiki, this video with Dr. Kalei Nuʻuhiwa is an excellent start. According to Kalei, there is a 13th lunar month occurring this year between Makaliʻi and Kāʻelo, called Hikikauʻelia. We have known for a long time about intercalary months, but it is Kalei’s scholarship that has brought much of the detail to light.
If we look in Nā Inoa Hōkū pg 50 and Kuokoa Home Rula, Volume VII, Number 18, 30 April 1909, we find this entry mentioning Hikikauelia:
KAUANOMEHA - This star is sometimes called the name Kaululena by some astrologers, and by some it is called Hoku-hookelewaa, or the Canoe-navigation-star, and it is called by others as the Hoku-kau-Opae, or the Shrimp Star. This is a navigation star to canoe-men and also to fishermen. It is sometimes called Hikikauelia.
O Hikikauelia ka malama,
Hiki Makalii, kaelo ka hoku o Nana.
Ia hiki pawa, moku i ke kai.
Akaka lea ka leina a ka manu,
Hikikauelia the month,
Rise the Twins, and stars—
In the month of Nana passed the meridian
The dawn of the morning breaks forth—
And lit up the broad ocean.
And the sparring of the bird is plainly seen.
I rather prefer Chun’s alternative translation [Nā Inoa Hōkū p 50]
The month is Hikikauelia
Makaliʻi appears,
Kaelo, the star of Nana,
When the pre-dawn darkness arises,
Breaks [sic?] at sea,
The flight of the bird is extremely clear.
Prior to the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, a variety of lunar calendars were used on different islands and sometimes even in different districts. Each calendar suited the needs of its community. Even today, our communities have a variety of calendars available to them, with variations most often found in the names of the malama (months). In the chart below, I have listed some of the different kaulana mahina based on their location and their authors. As far as I know, we have seven of these calendars preserved in the writings of our Kānaka ʻŌiwi scholars.
The beginning month of each calendar’s year is in boldface. Gregorian months are approximations.
Click to view in detail - Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/L. Yuen
Now let us look at our 8pm star chart. The first star we come upon in the Komohana horizon is Keoea, Vega. Last month we discussed the possibility that ʻEhā-keoea and Delphinus are one and the same. However, looking at Keoea/Vega, I now think Lyra is a contender. What do you think?
The name of the star Ahi-wela, Fomalhaut, tickles me. It translates to English as “hot fire” and also is the title of a love song by Lizzie Doirin & Mary Beckley. It has been covered by many artists, probably most popularly by Iz Kamakawiwoʻole, who combined it with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and now that you know Ahi-wela IS a star, it will have a whole new meaning for you! (But I love it the way it was originally written. This is the closest version I have found.)
Kūmau, Polaris continues to be steadfast in its usual place. Hōkū-pā, Hōkū-paʻa, Kū-mau, Noho-loa, Kio-pā, Kio-paʻa are all old names. Kia-paʻakai appears to be a missionary-inspired name from the story of Lot’s wife, who turned into a pillar of salt. Hōkū-ʻākau and Hōkū-paʻa-ʻākau are considered more modern names. So I wonder what the oldest name would be?
On the horizon of Hikina, we see Huihui, the Pleiades, and Makaliʻi, Aldebaran. Before we dive into the interchanging names of these objects, the story of Makaliʻi may give us some context.
Makaliʻi, the great navigator, is searching for a wife. None of the women on his home island are beautiful enough to suit him, so he decides to search until he finds the most beautiful woman in the world. He sets sail in his waʻa. He sails and sails but cannot find her. At last he sees a beautiful kā, a bailer, floating on the ocean. He follows it and picks it up. It is beautifully carved and inset with abalone shell so fine and shining it looks like stars. He secures it behind him in the waʻa and continues on. His provisions are becoming low, and his once-full kōkō, his food net, is becoming slack and misshapen from emptiness. He sets sail for home. When he reaches home, everyone on shore is pointing and shouting in astonishment at him. Why? He turns around to look. There, behind him, instead of a bailer, is the most beautiful woman in the world.
In this story, Huihui is Na-Wahine-a-Makaliʻi, and the shortened name of Huihui may be a reference to yet another name for the Pleiades. I believe that often the different names tell us where the body or constellation is in the sky. Reviewing the star compass that Pwo Navigator Mau Pialug taught, I was struck by the following specific names for Kaulu, Crux, the Southern Cross at specific angles.
Luubw - Cross rising
Machemeias - Cross rising at 45˚ from the southeastern horizon
Wuliwuliluubw - Cross upright at 90˚
Machemelito - Cross setting at 45˚ from the southwestern horizon
Luubw - Cross setting
So, I feel this demonstrates a case for the following Pleiades name meanings:
Na-Wahine-a-Makaliʻi - Pleiades from rising up to 45˚
Na-Kā-a-Makaliʻi - Pleiades within 45˚ of zenith
Na-Huihui-a-Makaliʻi - Pleiades from 45˚ to setting
Click to view in detail - Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/L. Yuen
Now let us look at our 5am star chart. Starting at Komohana, we notice Huihui, the Pleiades, has been in the sky all night leading Makaliʻi, Aldebaran. Algol, which I am tentatively calling Kane to see how that name interacts with others in the moʻolelo, glides nearby. Our blind aliʻi, Polo-ahi-lani, is going home for the day, and his attendants, Mūlehu and Polo-ʻula are following.
The stars Hōkū-lei (Capella), Makaliʻi (Aldebaran), Puana (Rigel), ʻAʻa (Sirius), Ka-ʻōnohi-aliʻi (Procyon), Māhoe-hope (Pollux), and Māhoe-mua (Castor) make up an even larger Hōkūlei, the Winter Circle, which we touched on last month. This ulu hōkū (grouping of stars) has so many interesting features that it deserves a column of its own.
Kaʻalolo is a name used for both Denebola (+14° 34′ 19.4090″) and Hamal (+23° 27′ 44.7032″). This made me wonder if, since they are within 10° and rise about nine and three-quarters hours apart, they might serve as successive markers, rather like sightings on successive ahu as one walks trails. That is a question for a navigator. If you have an answer, please let me know!
Rigel, Sirius, and Regulus all share the name Kau-ʻōpae, but I only briefly wondered the same thing about them. They are much closer together, with only about five hours between the rising of Rigel and Regulus. This makes me wonder if Kau-ʻōpae is an ulu hōkū, and the name belongs to all the major stars in the group, while the alternate names are the specific star names.
Following the Polynesian Voyaging Society lead, I use the name Meʻe for Corvus but with the meaning of “hero.” In the moʻolelo as I originally learned it, Corvus was “Lono’s Brother.” We don’t really have any documentation for a traditional Hawaiian name for Meʻe, so PVS used the Marquesan name. You can find a PDF of their star lines with explanations at this link on page 8, pasted below as well.
Me'e ("Voice of Joy"-Makemson): Four stars which rise before and to the south of Hikianalia. Me'e is the name of this constellation in the Marquesas, according to Johnson and Mahelona. No recorded Hawaiian name. "Mee is the Marquesan form of the widespread Polynesian star name Mere, Meremere, or Melemele, signifying 'Voice of joy'" (Makemson 235). The Hawaiian form of Me'e, "Mele," means "song" or "chant "or "to sing" or "to chant." "Me'e" in Hawaiian means "hero or heroine" or "heroic," "admired," or "prominent." Johnson and Mahelona identify Melemele or Mere as a name for Orion's belt and a homeland in the north (17). Serepwen and Sarapori are Micronesian names for this constellation. In Pukapuka, it is called Te Manu ("The Bird"-M). The Western name for this constellation is Corvus ("Crow").
