On the Society Islands they embraced the months of May - November and November - May respectively. On the Sandwich Islands the rainy season, hooilo, lasted from about Nov. 20 to May 20, the dry season, kau, from May 20 to Nov. 20.

We shall find later that both seasons were named and regulated according to the visibility or invisibility of the Pleiades.

Other writers [than Fornander] also give information for Hawaii. When the sun moved towards the north, the days were long, the trees bore fruit, and the heat was prevalent: it was summer; but when the sun moved towards the south, the nights became longer and the trees were without fruit: it was winter.

Kau was the season when the sun was directly overhead, when daylight was prolonged, the tradewind prevailed, days and nights alike were warm, and the vegetation put forth new leaves. Hooilo was the season when the sun declined towards the south, the nights grew longer, days and nights were cool, and the herbage (lit. vines) died away: each had six months. On Kauai Island the seasons were called mahoe-mua and mahoe-hope.

In Tahiti the bread-fruit can be gathered for seven months, for the other five there is none: for about two months before and after the southern solstice it is very scarce, but from March to August exceedingly plentiful. This season is called pa-uru (uru = 'bread-fruit'). The recurring scarcity of bread-fruit shewed the changes in the course of the year, but the Pleiades afforded a surer limit.

In Samoa one authority gives the wet season, ending in April, and the dry season, which comes to and end with the palolo fishing in October; another vaipalolo the palolo or wet season from October to March, and toe lau, when the regular trade-winds blow, embracing the other months; a third the season of fine weather - in which however much rain falls in some localities - and the stormy season, when it rains heavily."

(Nilsson)

According to Vanaga:

Tokerau = Wind; air. Various winds: puhiga Orogo, southwest wind (which blows from Orongo); ruhi, west-southwest wind; te papakino (perhaps a misprint for papakina), north wind; roto o niu, east wind; nukura mea, northwest wind; veki, northeast wind; motu rau uri, southeast wind; motu takarua, west wind.

Ruhi = 1. A large, tasty, dark-coloured fish. 2. West-southwest wind.

Papakina = Name of the north wind which usually blows very strong.

Motu = 1. To cut; to snap off: motu-á te hau, the fishing line snapped off; to engrave, to inscribe letters or pictures in stone or in wood, like the motu mo rogorogo, inscriptions for recitation in lines called kohau. 2. Islet; some names of islets: Motu Motiro Hiva, Sala y Gómez; and around the island: Motu Nui, Motu Iti, Motu Kaokao, Motu Tapu, Motu Marotiri, Motu Kau, Motu Tavake, Motu Tautara, Motu Ko Hepa Ko Maihori, Motu Hava.

Rau = 1. (Also: raupá) leaf of a plant, stem and leaves. 2. Hundred: e tahi te rau, e rua te rau, etc., 100, 200... Also seems to have been used in the meaning of "many". Tu'u henua rau, someone who has travelled to many countries (such were called in the 19th century natives who had travelled abroad, employed as sailors). Compare with: tai raurau-á riki.

Uri = 1. Dark; black-and-blue. 2. Green; ki oti te toga, he-uri te maúku o te kaiga, te kumara, te taro, te tahi hoki me'e, once winter is over, the grasses grow green, and the sweet potatoes, and the taro, and the other plants.

Taka, takataka = Circle; to form circles, to gather, to get together (of people).

Rua = 1. Two; second; other (precedes the noun); te rua paiga, the other side. 2. Hole, grave; holes in the rocks or between the rocks of the coastal lagoons; he keri i te rua, to dig a hole. 3. To vomit.