Hawaiian Skies: Welo 2026
Welo 2026 (Apelila 18 - Mei 16, 2026)
Na Leilehua Yuen, Hawaiʻi Culture and Language Resident at Gemini / NOIRLab
Click to view in detail - Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/L. Yuen
Welcome to Welo! The name of this month has several meanings: To set like the sun, to flutter or float as if streaming in the wind, and a family trait — progeny, ancestry, breed, family trait or strain, group custom, heritage, or characteristic. This is especially appropriate as we will be exploring family traits and relationships of huihui and ulu hōkū through the moʻolelo or moʻo hōkū, storylines, which connect them.
I divide the Moʻo hōkū, as I call the stories of the stars, into the following categories:
Exogenous Reports - These are collections such as those of William D. Westervelt. Although valuable, all such stories are reported through an external lens. It can be assumed that all of these will have reporter bias.
Endogenous Reports - These are collections of indigenous reporters and informants, often equally as well trained as the largely European collectors, but grounded in the host culture. These also must be evaluated for bias, as lens will be affected by social standing, amount of outside/educational influence, age of the informant, and attitudes toward the indigenous culture
Living Folklore - These are stories that are currently being told and passed down within ʻohana. They may or may not be included in the other categories. In general, these moʻolelo will have evolved into highly localized versions of older moʻolelo, or even very personal, family-specific moʻolelo. Some ʻohana enjoy being recognized by name when sharing them. Some ʻohana want the stories shared so they will not be lost, and some ʻohana want to share the stories so that the recorder will know that there are additional traditions but do not want the recorder to share the moʻolelo beyond that moment.
In some traditions, these stories use the images in the sky as pictures to illustrate the events in the moʻolelo.
But, before we get into that, some special events are happening. On the 18th, Kaʻāwela (Venus) will be exceptionally bright, second only to the Mahina o Hoaka (2nd phase, waxing moon) in brilliance. This Mahina will set shortly after the sun, with Kaʻāwela close at hand, just a few degrees to the west. On the 19th, Kaʻawela will be ahead of Mahina Kūkahi in reaching the horizon.
On the morning of April 20, if you are up before dawn, get your coffee or tea and find a place to look east. About five minutes before five, you’ll start to see Hōkū-ʻula (Mars) peek up, followed by Makulu (Saturn), and then Ukali (Mercury).
Lonno i ka Makahiki and Puapuakea
This month we get to see the moʻolelo of Lono-i-ka-makahiki and Puapuakea. I currently have it classified as a folktale, as I don’t have any documentation in addition to the oral tradition of one ʻohana. But I still find it exciting and a rabbit hole well worth jumping down. Imagine you are a child nightfishing with your grandpa, looking up at the stars. He tells you a story. As you read the story, look for the ulu hōkū that illustrates it. Also, as you study these moʻolelo, you will find that storytellers from different traditions have slightly different names for some of the characters.
Lono-i-ka-makahiki was a chief of Puna and Kāʻū. He decided to visit Kamalalawalu, chief of Maui, and took his assistant Puapuakea with him. Kamalalawalu invited Lono to surf. Kama made a bet with Lono to see whose assistant could have their meal ready first when they returned from surfing. He did not tell Lono that he already had told his assistant, Makakuikalani, to start cooking! When they returned from surfing, Kama’s food was almost ready, but Lono’s food had not even been started. Lono hit Pua in the nose and made it bleed! Pua was angry. “If you had told me about the bet, that would be one thing, but you never said a word.” Puapuakea went off the their canoe to get supplies. He made a small fire for grilling and took a chicken and a dog and prepared them for the imu. But he cut off a wing and a leg from the chicken and an ear from the dog and put them on the fire. Then he got his hōkeo gourd and took out Lono’s ʻapu (ʻawa cup), some ʻawa, started chewing the ʻawa to soften it. Then he made the ʻimu. By the time the imu was made and filled with the chicken and dog, the leg, wing, and ear were perfectly cooked. Pua took Lono’s lei niho palaoa (ivory chiefly necklace), the ʻapu, masticated ʻawa, and the food to Lono. All of this was done before Makahuikalani had finished pulling the stones from his ʻimu! Puapuakea had won the bet for Lono!
This is the version as recorded by Abraham Fornander, who collected many traditional Hawaiian narratives and published them in the early 20th century.
Legend of Pupukea.
CHAPTER I.
Of Pupukea and Makakuikalani.—Kamalalawalu and Lonoikamakahiki Surf-Riding.—Pupukea’s Promptness.—Dialogue Between Makakuikalani and Pupukea.
Pupukea was the younger brother of Lonoikamakahiki, the renowned king of Hawaii, who was of royal ancestry, consequently Pupukea was indeed a high chief of Hawaii. His body was stout, yet wiry and muscular. Notwithstanding, however, he was a very celebrated warrior. Because of his bravery and strength in battles, therefore he was famous from Hawaii to Niihau.
On account of Pupukea’s boldness, Lonoikamakahiki entrusted the whole of Hawaii into Pupukea’s hand. It was his to dispossess or to reinstate the chiefs, and to do with as he pleased; and as to Lonoikamakahiki, his was only to exercise royal authority.
When Lonoikamakahiki and Pupukea sailed and arrived at Lele, which is Lahaina, on Maui, Kamalalawalu, the great king of Maui, was living at Keawaiki, in Lele, with his younger brother Makakuikalani.
of makakuikalani.
Makakuikalani was the younger brother of Kamalalawalu, the famous king of Maui, and Makakuikalani was, moreover, a chief throughout Maui. He was a very courageous soldier and a most distinguished warrior of all Maui. Owing to his dauntless spirit and his strength, Kamalalawalu assigned all of Maui to his control. It was his to disfavor and to award according to his desire; and concerning Kamalalawalu, he simply held kingly sway over Maui.
kamalalawalu with lonoikamakahiki surf-riding.
They slept until the night was passed, when Kamalalawalu said to Lonoikamakahiki: “Let us swim out for surf-riding.” Lonoikamakahiki consented. They swam out and, reaching outside of Keawaiki, they commenced to surf; and when the sun was directly overhead (which is the middle of the day) they returned to land, bathed in [fresh] water, then spread out the wet loin cloth to dry, and repaired to the house, and there remained.
During this retirement, Kamalalawalu’s stewards prepared food, meat, awa, and a water basin. Wherefore, Lonoikamakahiki asked Pupukea: “Where is our food and fish; and where is our awa?” Pupukea answered: “They are near by. The meat is chicken, but it is not yet cooked. And as to the awa, it has not been masticated.”
pupukea’s promptness in the preparation of lonoikamakahiki’s food.
Whereat, Lonoikamakahiki, infuriated by Pupukea, sprang forward and slapped his cheek. Pupukea then took the awa and chewed it. Again Lonoikamakahiki sprang forward and struck Pupukea’s cheek. Pupukea said to Lonoikamakahiki: “What! is the striking first? Why not first speak, and when the narrow openings of the ear hear the charge, then it will be just to slap?”
While Pupukea was chewing the awa in his mouth, he reached forth one of his hands and seized the chicken (one that belonged to Lonoikamakahiki from Oahu here). He tore the leg apart, salted it, and placed it over a charcoal fire, as also the other leg of the chicken and the entire body. Pupukea baked the chicken with the feathers which had not been pulled off, but, when turned over the feathers were consumed by the fire. With the mastication of four mouthfuls of awa, the chicken was cooked. Pupukea squeezed out the awa juice into the awa cup and placed it before Lonoikamakahiki who drank it. Having finished drinking, he ate the chicken; and having completed the meal, Lonoikamakahiki was intoxicated and slept.
At these wonderful performances of Pupukea, an appreciation and strong desire entered Kamalalawalu’s mind, because of the skill and promptness of Pupukea in the preparation of the food, and because of the very short time required by the meal; therefore, Kamalalawalu entreated of the king of Hawaii as follows: “O Kalani! King of Hawaii, it is better that I have our steward, for I highly value his efficiency and promptness.” Lonoikamakahiki replied: “You can not be favored, inasmuch as he is my property-holder of Hawaii. It is his to dispossess, to retain, and to favor the chiefs and the men; to withhold; to fight or not to fight. My part is simply to reign on Hawaii. He is the one that governs the land.”
the banter between makakuikalani and pupukea.
Following Lonoikamakahiki’s answer to Kamalalawalu, Makakuikalani remarked regarding Pupukea, as follows: “A low shelf is reached by the rat.” Pupukea answered Makakuikalani, saying:
The short mature [one] is the sphere
Who shall sweep the plain entirely;
The resistant white sugar-cane of Kohala,
That injures your mouth when eaten.
After these words, Lonoikamakahiki inquired of Kamalalawalu: “Where is your land administrator?” Kamalalawalu responded: “There he is, Makakuikalani, the tall man standing yonder.” And when Kamalalawalu had finished speaking to Lonoikamakahiki, relative to his young brother, Makakuikalani, Pupukea answered his taunting words, as follows:
In this dialogue of theirs, one was claiming that he was the more powerful; as also the other. Furthermore, in this banter between them, the words were planted in their minds until the period wherein Kamalalawalu fought against Lonoikamakahiki at Waimea, on Hawaii. There the words of Makakuikalani and Pupukea were carried into effect.
Kaao no Pupukea.
MOKUNA I.
No Pupukea-Makakuikalani.—Kamalalawalu-Lonoikamakahiki Heenalu ana.—Ko Pupukea Hikiwawe.—Olelo Kike ana a Makakuikalani me Pupukea.
He Kaikaina o Pupukea no Lonoikamakahiki, ke ’lii nui o Hawaii, a he ’lii nohoi mai na makua mai. A pela nohoi o Pupukea, he ’lii no, no Hawaii. He kino poupou ko Pupukea, he puipui nae, aka, he koa kaulana loa ia. No kona koa ame kona ikaika ma ka hoouka kaua ana, nolaila, ua kaulana loa ia mai Hawaii a Niihau.
No ke koa o Pupukea, haawi aku la o Lonoikamakahiki ia Hawaii a puni i loko o ko Pupukea lima. Iaia ka lilo, ka haawi i na ’lii, ka hana e like me kona makemake, a o Lonoikamakahiki, he noho alii wale iho no kana.
Ia Lonoikamakahiki i holo mai ai me Pupukea a hiki i Lele ma Maui, oia o Lahaina, e noho ana o Kamalalawalu, ke ’lii nui o Maui ma Keawaiki ma Lele me kona kaikaina o Makakuikalani.
no makakuikalani.
He kaikaina o Makakuikalani no Kamalalawalu, ke ’lii nui o Maui, a he ’lii nohoi o Makakuikalani no Maui a puni. He kanaka koa loa o Makakuikalani, a he koa kaulana loa no Maui a puni. A no kona koa ame kona ikaika, haawi aku la o Kamalalawalu ia Maui a puni i loko o kona lima. Iaia ka lilo ame ka haawi e like me kona makemake; a o ka Kamalalawalu, o ka noho alii wale no maluna o Maui.
ka heenalu ana o kamalalawalu me lonoikamakahiki.
Moe iho la lakou a ao ia po, olelo aku o Kamalalawalu ia Lonoikamahiki: “E au kakou i ka heenalu.” Ae mai la o Lonoikamakahiki. Au aku la lakou a ma waho o Keawaiki, heenalu iho la, a kupono ka la i ka lolo (oia ka ainaawakea), hoi aku la lakou i uka, auau ka wai a pau, kaulai ka malo pulu, hoi aku la a ka hale, noho iho la.
Ma keia noho ana, ua makaukau ka Kamalalawalu mau aipuupuu i ka ai, i ka i’a, i ka awa, ame ke po’i wai holoi. Nolaila, ninau aku o Lonoikamakahiki ia Pupukea: “Auhea ka kaua ai a me ka i’a; a auhea ko kaua awa?” I aku o Pupukea: “Ei ae no. He moa ka ia, aohe nae i moa. A o ka awa nohoi, aole i mama ia a wali.”
Nolaila, huhu o Lonoikamakahiki ia Pupukea, lele aku la papai i ka papalina o Pupukea. Lalau iho la o Pupukea i ka awa a mama iho la. Lele hou aku o Lonoikamakahiki papai i ka papalina o Pupukea. Olelo mai o Pupukea ia Lonoikamakahiki: “Ka! o ka papai ka mamua? Kai no o ka olelo mai, a lohe na puka haiki o ka pepeiao, alaila, pono hoi ke pai ana.”
ka hikiwawae loa o pupukea ma ka lawelawe ana i ka mea ai a lonoikamakahiki.
Ia Pupukea e mama ana i ka awa i kona waha, lalau aku la kekahi lima ona i ka moa. (Oia moa, na Lonoikamakahiki no, no Oahu aku nei no.) A uhae ae la i ka uha, a kopi iho la i ka paakai, a kau aku la i luna o ke ahi nanahu, pela nohoi kekahi uha o ka moa a me ke kino a pau loa. Ma keia hana ana a Pupukea i ka moa, me ka hulu no aole i hukihuki ia, aka, huli ae la no ua pau ka hulu i ke ahi. A wali na mana awa eha, moa nohoi ka moa. Hoka iho la o Pupukea i ka awa a loko o ka apu awa. Waiho aku la i mua o Lonoikamakahiki, inu iho la ia. A pau ka inu ana, ai iho la i ka moa, a pau ka ai ana, ona aku la o Lonoikamakahiki a moe iho la.
Ma keia mau hana eleu a Pupukea, ua komo ka makemake a me ka iini i ko Kamalalawalu naau. No ka eleu ame ka hikiwawe loa o Pupukea ma ka hana ana i ka mea ai, no ka wa pokole loa o ka ai ana. Nolaila, nonoi aku o Kamalalawalu i ke ’lii o Hawaii penei: “E Kalani! e ke ’lii o Hawaii, e aho na’u ka kaua aipuupuu, akahi kuu makemake i ka eleu ame ka hikiwawe.” I aku o Lonoikamakahiki: “Aole e loaa ia oe, o ko’u hooilina aina no ia o Hawaii. Iaia ka lilo, ke koe, ka haawi i na ’lii ame ke kanaka, ka aua, ke kaua ame ke kaua ole, o ka noho alii wale iho no ka’u no Hawaii, o ka mea ia nona ka aina.”
na olelo kike a makakuikalani me pupukea.
Mahope iho o ka Lonoikamakahiki olelo ana ia Kamalalawalu, olelo mai o Makakuikalani no Pupukea, penei: “Haahaa, haka pau i ka iole.”
I aku o Pupukea ia Makakuikalani, penei:
O ka iki makua ia o ka ulu,
Nana e kaa ke kahua e pau ai;
He paa kokea no Kohala,
E kole ai ko waha ke ai.
Mahope o keia mau olelo, ninau aku o Lonoikamakahiki ia Kamalalawalu: “Auhea hoi kou kaulana aina?” I mai o Kamalalawalu: “Ei aku no hoi; ke kanaka loihi e ku mai la, o Makakuikalani.” A pau ka olelo ana a Kamalalawalu ia Lonoikamakahiki, no kona kaikaina, no Makakuikalani. I mai o Pupukea i kana olelo kaena, penei:
Ma keia olelo a Pupukea, pane mai o Makakuikalani i kana olelo kaena, penei:
A shrivelled banana of Kaea,
Which ripens not in ten days.
He lila maia no Kaea,
Aole e pala i ke anahulu.
Ma keia mau olelo kike a laua, e paha ana kekahi oia ka ikaika, a pela no hoi kekahi. Aka, maloko o keia mau olelo a laua, ua waiho ia ma ko laua naau, a hiki i ka wa i kaua ai o Kamalalawalu me Lonoikamakahiki ma Waimea, i Hawaii. Ilaila i hooko ia ai na olelo a Makakuikalani me Pupukea.
Click to view in detail - Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/L. Yuen
The moʻolelo continues on, but the portion we see in the night sky of April ends here.
Continuing with our moʻolelo theme, in the morning we still see the hōkeo (Boötes), the large gourd used for carrying goods. But in another story of this gourd container, the Ipu-makani-o-Laʻamaomao is a mana-filled ipu which is the funerary casket of Laʻamaomao, a wind akua. Eventually it is inherited by her descendant, Ku-a-Pakaʻa. Drama ensues. Not always, but in the moʻolelo I learned, accompanying it is an ʻapu, a small bowl or large cup, which pours out the rain. We will have to save the story, itself, for next month.
