STAR STRUCK
Studying the cosmic canvas of the night sky, Native Hawaiians looked to the stars to foretell the future.
‘o nā hōkū nō nā kiu o ka lani.
—“The stars are the eyes of heaven.”
TEXT BY LINDSEY KESEL
IMAGES BY JOHN HOOK & COURTSEY OF STARGAZERS OF HAWAII 
Looming above all things living and benign, astral bodies decode the natural world’s mysteries through ever-shifting movement. Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) of long ago utilized these patterns, interpreting celestial ciphers to accomplish manifold tasks: weather forecasting, farming, fishing, and navigating the sea in nā wa‘a (double-hulled canoes).
Since the heavenly orbs travel in predictable rhythms, Hawaiians used the night sky as compass, calendar, and chronometer. Around the delicate dance of celestial objects, time was defined, seasons were scouted, and agricultural strategies were plotted. Seafarers relied on the Hawaiian Star Compass, a mental sky map, to track the rising and setting points of hundreds of stars and starlines on the horizon. Along with wave, wind, and wildlife observations, navigators used these memorized star patterns to pinpoint their bearings and chart a course. Ever-tactical, the Hawaiians often embedded crucial details in the names of stars and star clusters for swift identification. The North Star, for example, was called Noho-loa, or “to remain long, permanently,” as it appeared to neither rise nor set in the Hawaiian sky.
While dedicated nā kilo lani (“heavenly stargazers”) were soothsayers who focused on the finer nuances of astral activity, most Kānaka Maoli possessed a high degree of celestial awareness and utilized kilo hōkū (“astronomy,” or “star seeing”) in everyday life. Stars forecasted coming rains, and indicated when to plant, irrigate, or harvest. Moon phases informed fishing practices, battle and voyage planning, and surfing. When one star hit its apex, a flower would bloom. A constellation inching toward the horizon might signal a seabird migration, or a particular tree bearing fruit.
Though Western oppression of cultural practices and the introduction of physical instrumentation led to a loss of Hawaiian astronomical wisdom, a revival is well underway. Institutions, from the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center on Hawai‘i Island to the Bishop Museum and Planetarium on O‘ahu, are making kilo hōkū more accessible to kama‘āina (locals) and malihini (visitors) alike. Meanwhile, the Polynesian Voyaging Society has trained students in traditional wayfinding since 1973, embarking on Pacific Ocean voyages without the aid of modern instruments.
“The stars have always been a fascination for humans, driving our hunger to explore,” says Nick Bradley, astronomer and founder of Stargazers of Hawaii in Honolulu, whose monthly rooftop stargazing sessions at Royal Hawaiian Center reveal an intimate view of the night sky. Bradley founded Stargazers of Hawaii in 2019, offering epic night sky views via their powerful telescope, a rare sight in the heart of Waikīkī. Though they do not use traditional kilo hōkū techniques, Stargazers of Hawaii weaves in lessons in Hawaiian mythology and celestial navigation during their stargazing sessions. “Hawaiians and Polynesians were scientists, passing down knowledge as a means of survival for millennia,” says Bradley. “We remember these ancient techniques so we can use them as tools to honor and preserve the past, and to build on it for the next generation.”
Join Royal Hawaiian Center and Stargazers of Hawaii at the Ka Lewa Lānai (Building A, Level 4) for an up-close look at Hawai‘i’s night sky and bring your own telescopic images home. Visit royalhawaiiancenter.com/events for details.
