Clouds swirl about the three mountain prongs above Ha‘ena, with Mauna-pulu-o in the upper left.

 

There is an episode in the story of Hi‘iakaikapoliopele in which the winds of Kaua‘i are named. Chippers says, "in this story, Pele comes out of the crowd, and she's so incredibly beautiful, and this young ali‘i asks her where she's from. And she says she's from Kaua‘i. And of course, he's the bull of Kaua‘i, he knows every good looking wahine on the island, and he says 'no way, I know all the chiefesses from Kaua‘i.' And she says, 'no, I am from Kaua‘i.' And to prove it, she begins in Anahola, and chants all the winds of the island. Now how can anybody know all of that if you weren't from here?"

As the tale was recounted by Joseph M. Poepoe in 1911, Pele states, "He mau wahi makani hoakaaka ko Haena nei, a oia keia; e hoolohe mai oukou:

He Kalahale ka makani o Haena
He Limahuli ka manaki o Haena
He Kolokini ka makani heenalu o Kahuanui a Lohiauipo, i Haena
He Unukupua ka makani lawe leo a Lohiau-ipo i Haena
He Kanaenae ka makani kaili aloha a Lohiau i Haena
He Kilauea ka makani kaili aloha a Lohiau i Haena
He Leoikua ka makani lawe aloha a Lohiau-ipo i Haena
He Ipo noenoe lauae ka makani kii wahine a Lohiau ipo i Haena
Aloha wa'e o Lohiau-ipo i Haena e--!"

Source: Poepoe, 1911

Drawing on work done by Mary Kawena Pukui as well as his own experience as a long-time resident of Ha‘ena, Frederick Wichman elaborates on these winds.

Kalahale refers to a house gable, but was also name of a chiefess of Ha‘ena.

Limahuli, "turning hand," is also the name of the valley in which this wind occurs.

Kolokini is the "surf-raising" wind (makani he‘enalu) of the Kahuanui surfing area . Kahuanui is sister of Lohi‘au. the surfing area is on the Ke‘e side of where Limahuli stream enters the sea.

Unukupua, the "demi-god's altar." Mr. Wichman says this is the "voice-bearing wind of Ha‘ena," which he believes must refer to a women's chorus, because it sounds like a chorus of women chanting.

Ka na‘e na‘e or "sweet fragrance," is the fragrance-bearing wind of Ha‘ena. It is probably an evening wind. Na‘ena‘e is the name of several varieties of a native shrub with large cones of blossoms. But it may also refer to the scent of the laua‘e ferns for which Makana mountain is famous. Ka na‘ena‘e is also a boulder up in Limahuli discussed in the Storied Places page.

Kilauea is the "love-snatching" wind (makani ka‘ili aloha) of Ha‘ena.

Leoikua refers to voice of the gods heard in the elements; "the love-bearing wind" (makani lawe aloha).

Ipu no‘eno‘e, or "sedate sweetheart," is "the woman-fetching" (ki‘i wahine) wind of Ha‘ena.

Other winds include:

Ka Wahine Ami or "the dancing woman";

Kualau, a general term for shower accompanied by a sea wind, is here known as "the widely sweeping wind of Pohaku boulder and cliff";

Moani, the term for a light gentle breeze usually associated with fragrance, is the wind of Maniniholo cave; and

Pilipali, the "cliff-clinging" wind of Manoa valley.

Winds combine with the landscape to give Ha‘ena its rains.