Rain names are a precious legacy from our kūpuna who were keen observers of the world around them and who had a nuanced understanding of the forces of nature. They knew that one place could have several types of rain, each distinct from the other. They knew when a particular rain would fall, its color, its duration, its intensity, its path, its sound, its scent, and its effect on the land and their lives.

Whether you belong to Puna, Hawai‘i, like the delicate Alanilehua rain, so rare it is only visible during certain times of the morning, or to Niʻihau like the unpredictable Nāulu rain that wraps the spirit in a downpour, you will find a rainy companion for cold nights and humid days. Hānau ka Ua reintroduces us to these cherished companions, giving new life to their names and their stories. Ola!

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Author Collette Leimomi Akana has been teaching social studies at Kamehameha Middle School since 1983. She has taught Hawaiian language at Windward Community College and Kapi‘olani Community College.

Illustrations by Sig Zane

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hardcover   |   328 pages   |   6.25" x 9"   |   B&W