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Hawaiian Constellations
In traditional Hawaiian astronomy and navigation, Hawaiian constellations (or nā hōkū o ka lani) were used by Polynesian voyagers to navigate vast ocean distances. While many align with Western constellations, Hawaiians grouped and interpreted the stars differently, focusing more on star lines, rising/setting patterns, and cultural meaning rather than fixed shapes.
Here’s a look at key Hawaiian constellations and celestial groups:
1. Ka Lupe o Kawelo ("The Kite of Kawelo")
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Closest Western equivalent: Scorpius
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Represents a traditional Hawaiian kite (lupe) with the star Antares (Lehuakona) as its heart.
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Symbolizes Kawelo, a Hawaiian chief, and is used in seasonal and agricultural timing.
2. Ka Makau Nui o Māui ("The Great Fishhook of Māui")
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Closest Western equivalent: Scorpius’ tail or Māui’s fishhook (Manaiakalani) in broader Polynesian traditions
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Represents the legendary fishhook used by demigod Māui to pull up islands.
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Important in storytelling and star navigation.
3. Manaiakalani ("The Fishhook of Māui")
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Closest Western equivalent: Sagittarius + Scorpius tail
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A larger pattern in Polynesian navigation than in the Western system.
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Used in wayfinding to track east-to-west travel.
4. ʻIwakeliʻi ("Chiefly Frigate Bird")
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Closest Western equivalent: Cassiopeia
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Resembles a frigate bird in flight
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Associated with direction and seasons
5. Nāhiku ("The Seven")
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Closest Western equivalent: The Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major)
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Used for orientation in the Northern Hemisphere
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Pointed toward the North Star (Hōkūpaʻa)
6. Hānaiakamalama ("The Foster Child of the Moon")
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Closest Western equivalent: The Southern Cross (Crux)
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Only visible from Hawaiʻi part of the year
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Important for marking the southern direction
7. Hōkūpaʻa ("Fixed Star")
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Western name: Polaris (North Star)
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Used to find true north; critical to Polynesian navigation
8. Ke Kā o Makali‘i ("The Canoe Bailer of Makali‘i")
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Closest Western equivalent: Orion
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Stars like Betelgeuse, Rigel, and others form a canoe bailer (scoop)
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Associated with the constellation of Makali‘i, often identified with the navigator of the stars
9. Makali‘i ("Little Eyes")
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Western equivalent: Pleiades (Seven Sisters)
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Rising in the early evening signals the start of the Hawaiian new year (Makali‘i season)
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Key in agriculture and ceremony
10. Meʻe ("Hero" or "Warrior")
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Often equated with Orion in Hawaiian stories
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Associated with bravery, hunting, and tracking
Notes on Hawaiian Star Knowledge
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Hawaiian navigation relies on star lines, where stars rise and set at consistent points on the horizon—used like compass bearings.
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Seasons and planting cycles were linked to star positions.
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Cultural transmission: Knowledge was passed orally through chants (oli), storytelling, and practice aboard voyaging canoes.
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