Ka ʻike i ka ʻŌpua, 2023
Media: Silver gelatin prints
Kūkulu ka ʻike i ka ʻōpua. | Knowledge is set up in the clouds.
Clouds are observed for signs and omens
Pukui, ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #1908
Much like meterologists today, our ancestors were attuned to their environments and saw patterns in the world around them. We know hundreds of names in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi for winds and rains, but there are also names and meanings for clouds as well. Knowledgeable kahuna were even trained to read clouds to predict changes in weather and see into the future.
Ka ʻIke I Ka ʻŌpua captures the changing landscape of the sky through portraits of clouds on black and white medium format film. Photographs are then paired with ʻōlelo noʻeau or names of cloud types in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi to help viewers deepen their knowledge, awareness, and connection to their surroundings.
To learn more about Hawaiian names for clouds, visit some of these resources:
Ualani Davis 