Ke Kā o Makaliʻi

Ke Kā o Makaliʻi, meaning "The Canoe-Bailer of Makaliʻi," is a special Hawaiian constellation made up of five bright stars arranged in a curved shape, like a bailer used to scoop water from a canoe. This constellation appears in the night sky, rising in the east like a cup and setting in the west as if it is pouring out. It is closely linked to the western constellation Orion, although it does not include any of Orion’s stars.

The five stars of Ke Kā o Makaliʻi are Capella, known in Hawaiian as Hoku-lei, meaning "Star-Wreath." Another star is Beta Aurigae, called Na Mahoe, which means "The Twins," or Nana-mua-ma, meaning "Nana-mua and associate." This group also includes Castor, named Nana-mua, meaning "Look forward," and Pollux, called Nana-hope, meaning "Look behind." The other two stars are Procyon, known as Puana, meaning "Blossom," and Sirius, called ‘A‘a, meaning "Burning brightly."

These stars were very important to ancient Hawaiians, who used them for navigation and to mark the changing seasons. Ke Kā o Makaliʻi helped people know when to plant crops and when to prepare for certain times of the year. Today, learning about Ke Kā o Makaliʻi helps us understand the rich traditions and clever ways ancient Hawaiians watched the stars and used their knowledge to live in harmony with nature.