Another computation commenced the year at the month Apaapa (middle of May) and gave different names to several of the months. The year was also divided into two seasons called by the “Matarii” stars (Pleiades)—Matarii i ria (Pleiades above the horizon in the evening) and Matarii i raro (Pleiades below). The year was divided also into three seasons: (1) te tau—autumn, commenced with te Tae or December till Faaahu; (2) te tau miti vahi, season of high sea; (3) te tau poai, winter or season of drought.
The Hawaiian year was again subdivided into four smaller seasons or divisions: (1) ke laa-make, (2) ka hooilo, (3) ka laa-ulu, (4) kau.
Summer (kau) began when the sun stood directly over an island. The winter (hooilo) began when the sun moved from there southward.
Where the ocean and sky meet, the Hawaiians designated as Hiki-ku; above Kahiki, Papanuu; above Papanuu, Papalani; directly above Kahiki, Kapuiholanikekuina.
HOURS OF THE DAY.
The Hawaiian day commenced at 12 midnight and ran till next midnight. There being only twelve months in the Hawaiian year of 30 days each, or in all 360 days, five days were added at the end of the month Welehu so that the civil or solar year began on the 6th day of the month Makalii. The feast of Lono was celebrated during the five intercalary days. For eight months of the year there were four kapu nights and days (Ku, Hua, Kaloa, Kane) in each month. The four kapu times of the month were also called Na la kapu Kauila.
The Hawaiian division of the night was: 1. Kihi, 6 p.m.; 2. Pili, 9 p.m.; 3. Kau, 12 m.n.; 4. Pilipuka, 3 a.m.; 5. Kihipuka, 6 a.m.
The Javanese, borrowing from the Hindus, divided the entire twenty-four hours into five portions, each of which had a particular name. Another division was into nine parts, four for the day and five for the night.—(Rienzi.) [[333]]