“The first step to [resource] management is really to learn your place and be intimate with your area….also with your neighbors because we need to make partnerships.”
This is the advice musician, mahiʻai, lawaiʻa and Hui Mālama o Moʻomomi President, Kanohowailuku Helm shared today at the 2nd Annual North Shore Food Summit. He traveled from Anahaki, Molokaʻi to share his messages of restoring ancestral abundance—the theme of this conference and panel organized by KUAʻs own Brenda Asuncion with the support of Doug Cole of the North Shore Land Trust.
Kanoho shared how the Hui merges modern science with traditional knowledge…how traditional knowledge forms hypotheses that are “pretty much on the money” with scientific results. All the projects they work on, including their most current lobster DNA sampling, will inform regulation and make things better for the community in the long-term.
James Estores of Loko Ea, a loko puʻuone in Kawailoa, Waialua, Oʻahu shared maps of historical water flow. Returning this flow from Loko Ea to the ʻUkoʻa pond a mile away is a goal to strive for– but first there is still much work in Loko Ea. James emphasized the integral role of volunteers and invited all to join them for their workdays every 3rd Saturday of the month. He ended with this beautiful video clip that says it all: www.vimeo.com/96632660
Ikaika Velez of Mōliʻi fishpond in Hakipuʻu, owned by Kualoa Ranch humbly impressed everyone with the successes accomplished by hard work and management in the way Kanoho expressed. Included in Ikaikaʻs presentation was of a picture of this morningʻs harvest of 800 Pacific oysters that will be sold fresh in the ranch store for $15 a dozen. In the future they hope to offer the limu ʻeleʻele that grows on the floats with the oysters. Another goal is to one day have ʻanae and awa outnumber the kākū and other predatory fish in the pond.
“These guys are the cutting edge of sustainability” said Presley Wann before he gave his presentation, admitting he did not want to follow those guys. Uncle Pres (as we admiringly call him) takes on ancestral abundance from another level. Decades ago, Uncle said “From our taro terraces, we started to look at the health of our ocean because itʻs all related.” And in a single day, you can find Uncle with his toes in loʻi of north Kauaʻi to being in a snazzy Jams aloha shirt at a BLNR meeting in Honolulu. Uncle Presley with the Hui Makaʻāinana o Makana, the Hāʻena community, and much of the Haleleʻa moku community have been hard at work for over 20 years to have their Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area Rules heard….finally taking place this upcoming October 3rd. Check out past and upcoming blogs to learn more!
Mahalo to Uncle Pres, Ikaika, James and Kanoho for all your work in restoring ancestral abundance so that it is not just a vision but a taste on the pallets of moʻopuna to come.
Eō Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa
Eō E Alu Pū
He leo mahalo kēia i ka ʻohana ʻo KUA no ke kōkua nui ʻana mai! This is a beautiful write up about todays panel. Mahalo to Brenda for her awesome leadership in facilitating the panel. 🙂