Lowland Communities
The lowland areas of the moku, inland from the coast but not quite in the mountains, were called "kula" by the Hawaiians. The arrival of the Hawaiians and the introduction of farming in the Wai‘anae moku changed the original plant communities that inhabited the land, but Hawaiians found practical uses for many of the native plants, like ‘ōhi‘a (Sesbania tomentosa), koa (Acacia koa), and naio (Myoporum sandwichense). These plants became a part of their spirituality and culture. Other native plants that grew here and became important to the Hawaiians were ‘a‘ali‘i (Dodonaea viscosa), ‘ilima (Sida fallax), ma‘o (Hibiscus tiliaceus), ‘ama‘u (Sadleria cyatheoides), uluhe (Dicranopteris linearis), and pili (Heteropogon contortus). Over time this kula area changed from native lowland dry and mesic shrublands and forest to human-altered agricultural areas.
Hawaiian Use of Resources in the Kula
The Hawaiians who landed on the shores of O‘ahu brought with them plants
and animals that had served them well in other island environments. Kalo (taro; Colocasia
esculenta) was the most important dietary staple they brought, but other
plants, like ‘ulu (breadfruit; Artocarpus altilis), ki (ti
plant; Cordyline terminalis), and niu (coconut palm; Cocos nucifera),
were used for crafts and medicine as well as for food (St. John and Jendrusch
2000).
Kalo lo‘i at Ka‘ala Farm Cultural Learning Center.
Source:
Photo by Catherine Black, used with permission of Environment Hawai‘i, Inc. The Hawaiians had a sophisticated terrace farming agricultural system that
minimized water use while maximizing purity. These ‘auwai (irrigation
channels) and lo‘i (kalo ponds) ranged from small, easily constructed
systems to large, complex systems that required coordinated community effort
to maintain (Leeward TLCF Summer Institute 1998a).
The Hawaiians regarded themselves as part of nature and connected to the land. They adapted their farming and cultivation of foods to the existing landscape or hydrologic conditions instead of making drastic changes to those conditions. In the Wai‘anae moku, the climate is fairly arid, and kalo lo‘i were often developed where stream flow was more perennial, farther mauka. ‘Uala (sweet potatoes; Ipomoea batatas) and dry land kalo were grown in the drier regions of the moku. Coconut trees were planted near the coast (McGrath and others 1973). For the Hawaiians, farming was both a practical and a spiritual endeavor, and they believed some crops to be the embodiment of gods (Yuen 1983).
Changes to the Kula after Western Contact
The arrival of Westerners changed farming in the moku. Water in the moku was rerouted to irrigate sugar plantations, making water inaccessible to the Hawaiian farmer. With the loss of access to water, the Hawaiians then began to lose access to the kula, and many farming areas were deserted. The focus on farming a single crop was different from the diversified agriculture practiced by the Hawaiians. Although sugar was the crop of choice for plantation developers who farmed in the moku, many sugar plantations tried to introduce additional cash crops to the kula. Plants such as coffee, cotton, and allspice can still be found in the uplands.
Sandalwood Tree
The sandalwood tree, one of the first economic resources for the Hawaiian people, was also found in Wai‘anae. The Hawaiian People admired the sandalwood for both its beauty and its sweet smelling fragrance which they used to scent tapa.
Information obtained from the author Joseph Morgan shows Ali‘i (Chiefs) were owners of large tracts of land where sandalwood was collected. By the early 1800s the economic importance of sandalwood had grown. This began to take a toll on the health of the commoners who worked for them, as enormous amounts of time and effort were spent harvesting sandalwood. Over time the land owned by the working commoners started to show their neglect.
– Rochelle Lino, Wai‘anae: Not Just Any Old Town
One of the easiest ways to travel to the moku from Honolulu in the late 1800s
and early 1900s was by rail. The railroad, owned and operated by O‘ahu
Railway & Land Company, ran from Honolulu to the North Shore of O‘ahu
through the Wai‘anae moku and around Ka‘ena Point. It transported
passengers, livestock, produce, and other cargo. The railroad may have played
a part in encouraging agricultural endeavors such as pineapple, and it opened
new lands for ranching (Library of Congress 2004). One of O‘ahu’s
first cattle ranchers was Don Francisco de Paula Martin, who started in the
industry in the early 19th century. He eventually established a ranch in Wai‘anae
(Tummons 2002).
Statewide, the agriculture industry provides directly and indirectly for
the employment of over 40,000 people. The Wai‘anae moku is O‘ahu’s
largest center for commercial agriculture. Because many of the lands in the
moku are too steep to farm successfully and soils can be poor, many areas designated
for agricultural land use are not in active use (City and County of Honolulu,
Department of Planning and Permitting 2000). Livestock farming is not generally
constrained by steepness or soil quality, and much of the commercial agriculture
in the moku is dedicated to livestock production. As of 2004, the moku had
three major dairies, 40 piggeries, the vast majority of Hawai‘i’s
egg and poultry production facilities, and various cattle grazing, sheep, and
goat farms (City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting
2000). Several hundred people are employed in the industry full time, and an
equal number are employed seasonally.
With the decline of the sugar industry, the focus of agricultural land use in the moku is shifting back to reflect a more diversified and environmentally responsible approach. Sustainable agriculture, including commercial cultivation of taro and organic farming, is a vital part of Wai‘anae’s identity today. Community-based stewardship of the land and resources in the moku will continue to strengthen the community and the environment.
My father told me, "Take out something from your lunch that you really like." I took the orange from the brown paper bag and held it up. "Now leave it on the wall." I did – and then I looked up at him. "You always give back. Leave something special for the gods."
–Alani Apio, Wao Akua Sacred Source of Life
References Cited
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting. 2000.
Waianae Sustainable Communities Plan. http://www.honoluludpp.org/Planning/DevSust_Waianae.asp
Leeward Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (TLCF) Summer Institute. 1998a.
Kaala watershed study: A Brief History of the Kaala Watershed. http://kauila.k12.hi.us/%7Elgallano/Upena/Histpg/Lhist.htm
Library of Congress. 2004. Today in History Archive: The Oahu Railway. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov16.html
McGrath, E.J., K.M. Brewer, and B. Krauss. 1973. Historic Waianae, A Place
of Kings. Island Heritage Limited. Norfolk Island, Australia. http://www.aloha.com/~hoa-aina/history.html
St. John, H., and K. Jendrusch. 2000. Plants Introduced to Hawaii by the Ancestors
of the Hawaiian People. Polynesian Voyaging Society. http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/migrationsplants.html
Tummons, P. 2002. "Roots of ranching in Hawaii: From Vancouver to Parker
and beyond." Environment Hawaii 13(3). http://www.environment-hawaii.org/902the.htm
Yuen, L. 1983. Hawaiian Culture - The Farmers. http://www.kaahelehawaii.com/pages2/pages/farmers.htm
Related Reference
Lino, R. 2004. Waianae: Not Just Any Old Town. Harvest Online. http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/harvest/2003spring/article/Waianae/Waianae3.pdf
State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). 2003. Wao
Akua: Sacred Source of Life. Division of Forestry & Wildlife. Honolulu,
HI.
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