Ahupua'a
Encyclopedia
In old Hawaii
, ahupuaa was the common subdivision of the land. It is comparable to the tapere
in the Southern Cook Islands. The traditional subdivision has four hierarchical levels:
'Umi-a-Liloa
, son of the great High Chief Liloa
, took control of the land and divided it into ahupua'a.
The Hawaiians maintained an agricultural system that contained two major classes; irrigated and rain-fed systems. In the irrigated systems the Hawaiians grew mostly taro (kalo) and in the rain-fed systems they grew mostly uala (sweet potatoes), yams, and dryland taro in addition to other small crops. This dryland cultivation was also known as the mala. It also consisted of (Kalo)Taro, (Niu)cocunuts, (ulu)breadfruit, (Maia) bananas, and (Ko)sugar cane. The Kukui tree was sometimes used as a shade to protect the mala from the sun. Each crop was carefully placed in an area that was most suitable to it's needs.
Hawaiians raised dogs, chickens, and pigs that were domesticated. They also made use of personal gardens at their own houses. Water was a very important part of Hawaiian life; it was used not only for fishing, bathing, drinking, and gardening, but also for aquaculture systems in the rivers and at the shore’s edge.
Each ahupuaa was ruled by an ali`i or local chief and administered by a konohiki.
The ahupuaa consisted most frequently of a slice of an island that went from the top of the local mountain (volcano) to the shore, often following the boundary of a stream drainage. Each ahupuaa included a lowland mala (cultivated area) and upland forested region.Ahupuaa varied in size depending on the economic means of the location and political divisions of the area. “As the native Hawaiians used the resources within their 'ahupua'a, they practiced aloha (respect), laulima (cooperation), and malama (stewardship) which resulted in a desirable pono (balance)”. The Hawaiians believed that the land, the sea, the clouds and all of nature had a certain interconnectedness which is why they used all of the resources around them to reach the desired balance in life.
Sustainability was maintained by the konohiki and kahuna: priests, who restricted the fishing of certain species during specific seasons. They also regulated the gathering of plants.
Ahupuaa is derived from Hawaiian language
ahu, meaning "heap" or "cairn", and puaa, pig
. The boundary marker
s for ahupuaa were traditionally heaps of stones used to put offers to the island chief, which was often a pig.
Each ahupua’a was divided into smaller sections called ‘ili and the ‘ili were divided into kuleana’s. These were plots of land that were cultivated by the common people. These people paid weekly labor taxes to the land overseer. These taxes went to support the chief.
There may have been two reasons for this kind of subdivision:
Rule over an ahupuaa was given out by the ruling chief to subordinate members of the alii. On the larger mountains of Maui
and Hawaii
, smaller ahupuaa extended up to about 6,000-8,000 feet elevation, while the higher elevations of an entire district would be included within a single large ahupuaa. These ahupuaa, such as Kaohe, Keauhou, Kapāpala, Keaau, Keanae, Puu Waawa, and Humuula, were highly valued both for their size and because they allowed control over items obtainable only from high-elevation areas, such as high-quality stone for tools and uau (Hawaiian Petrel
) chicks. They were given to high-ranking alii, or often retained by the high chief personally.
in 1848, most ahupuaa were split up. Manukā
, Puu Waawaa, and Puu Anahulu on the island of Hawaii
, are among the few large ahupuaa that remained nearly intact under single ownership (with the exception of some kuleana lots), because they were crown lands owned personally by the monarch. In spite of this, the impact of the ahupuaa boundaries can be seen in many areas today. For example, the ahupuaa of Keaau, near Hilo, was purchased as a single unit by the William Herbert Shipman
family to farm and raise cattle. Most of the land, however, was eventually sold off to become the large subdivisions of Puna
. The line between the large northern lots (sold by the state as 30-50 acre farms) and 1-3 acre southern lots in the vicinity of Kurtistown, Mountain View, and Glenwood is the boundary between the Ōlaa and Keaau ahupuaa. It is also interesting to note that this boundary follows the edge of the 200-400 year old Ailaau lava flow, and the ahupuaa of Keaau was undoubtedly originally created from the land devastated by this flow.
Many local towns in Hawaii still maintain the names of the old ahupuaa. In West Maui, the towns (north to south) Honokōhau, Honolua, Kapalua
, Nāpili
, Kahana
, Honokawai
, Kaanapali, Lahaina, and Olowalu follow the ahupuaa names, with each maintaining their local flavors.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, ahupuaa was the common subdivision of the land. It is comparable to the tapere
Tapere
A tapere or sub-district is a low level of traditional land subdivision on five of the Lower Cook Islands , comparable to the ahupua'a of the main Hawaiian Islands. Among the populated raised islands, only Mitiaro is not subdivided into tapere...
in the Southern Cook Islands. The traditional subdivision has four hierarchical levels:
- mokupuni (whole island)
- moku (largest subdivisions of an island)
- ahupuaa
- ili (two or three per ahupuaa, but KahoolaweKahoolaweKahoolawe is the smallest of the eight main volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. Kahoolawe is located about seven miles southwest of Maui and also southeast of Lanai, and it is long by wide, with a total land area of . The highest point on Kahoolawe is the crater of Lua Makika at the...
for example had more ili)
'Umi-a-Liloa
'Umi-a-Liloa
Umi-a-Liloa ruled as the 14th Alii Aimoku of Hawaii island from 1510 to 1525.-Royal Birth:Umi-a-Liloa, commonly known as Umi, was younger son of Liloa, 12th Alii Aimoku of Hawaii. Umi's mother Akahiakuleana was of much lower rank and distantly related to Liloa...
, son of the great High Chief Liloa
Liloa
Liloa ruled as the 12th Alii Aimoku of Hawaii from 1465 to 1495. He was sovereign king or chief of the island of Hawaii.He was the son of King Kihanuilulumoku, 11th Alii Aimoku of Hawaii and Waoilea. He succeeded on the death of his father in 1465. He was a ruling chief, a sacred high chief who...
, took control of the land and divided it into ahupua'a.
The Hawaiians maintained an agricultural system that contained two major classes; irrigated and rain-fed systems. In the irrigated systems the Hawaiians grew mostly taro (kalo) and in the rain-fed systems they grew mostly uala (sweet potatoes), yams, and dryland taro in addition to other small crops. This dryland cultivation was also known as the mala. It also consisted of (Kalo)Taro, (Niu)cocunuts, (ulu)breadfruit, (Maia) bananas, and (Ko)sugar cane. The Kukui tree was sometimes used as a shade to protect the mala from the sun. Each crop was carefully placed in an area that was most suitable to it's needs.
Hawaiians raised dogs, chickens, and pigs that were domesticated. They also made use of personal gardens at their own houses. Water was a very important part of Hawaiian life; it was used not only for fishing, bathing, drinking, and gardening, but also for aquaculture systems in the rivers and at the shore’s edge.
Each ahupuaa was ruled by an ali`i or local chief and administered by a konohiki.
The ahupuaa consisted most frequently of a slice of an island that went from the top of the local mountain (volcano) to the shore, often following the boundary of a stream drainage. Each ahupuaa included a lowland mala (cultivated area) and upland forested region.Ahupuaa varied in size depending on the economic means of the location and political divisions of the area. “As the native Hawaiians used the resources within their 'ahupua'a, they practiced aloha (respect), laulima (cooperation), and malama (stewardship) which resulted in a desirable pono (balance)”. The Hawaiians believed that the land, the sea, the clouds and all of nature had a certain interconnectedness which is why they used all of the resources around them to reach the desired balance in life.
Sustainability was maintained by the konohiki and kahuna: priests, who restricted the fishing of certain species during specific seasons. They also regulated the gathering of plants.
Ahupuaa is derived from Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
ahu, meaning "heap" or "cairn", and puaa, pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
. The boundary marker
Boundary marker
A boundary marker, boundary stone or border stone is a robust physical marker that identifies the start of a land boundary or the change in a boundary, especially a change in a direction of a boundary...
s for ahupuaa were traditionally heaps of stones used to put offers to the island chief, which was often a pig.
Each ahupua’a was divided into smaller sections called ‘ili and the ‘ili were divided into kuleana’s. These were plots of land that were cultivated by the common people. These people paid weekly labor taxes to the land overseer. These taxes went to support the chief.
There may have been two reasons for this kind of subdivision:
- travel: in many areas of Hawaii, it is easier to travel up- and downstream than from stream valley to stream valley
- economy: having all climate zones and economic exploitation zones in each land division ensured that each could be self-sufficient for a large portion of its needs.
Rule over an ahupuaa was given out by the ruling chief to subordinate members of the alii. On the larger mountains of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
and Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, smaller ahupuaa extended up to about 6,000-8,000 feet elevation, while the higher elevations of an entire district would be included within a single large ahupuaa. These ahupuaa, such as Kaohe, Keauhou, Kapāpala, Keaau, Keanae, Puu Waawa, and Humuula, were highly valued both for their size and because they allowed control over items obtainable only from high-elevation areas, such as high-quality stone for tools and uau (Hawaiian Petrel
Hawaiian Petrel
The Hawaiian Petrel or Uau is a large, dark grey-brown and white petrel that is endemic to Hawaii.-Distribution:...
) chicks. They were given to high-ranking alii, or often retained by the high chief personally.
Ahupuaa today
Following the Great MaheleGreat Mahele
The Great Mahele or just the Mahele was the Hawaiian land redistribution act proposed by King Kamehameha III in the 1830s and enacted in 1848.-Overview:...
in 1848, most ahupuaa were split up. Manukā
Manuka
Manuka can refer to:*The flowering plant Leptospermum scoparium *Manuka, Canberra, an area in the Australian Capital Territory, named after the plant*Manuka Oval, a stadium in the above territory...
, Puu Waawaa, and Puu Anahulu on the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, are among the few large ahupuaa that remained nearly intact under single ownership (with the exception of some kuleana lots), because they were crown lands owned personally by the monarch. In spite of this, the impact of the ahupuaa boundaries can be seen in many areas today. For example, the ahupuaa of Keaau, near Hilo, was purchased as a single unit by the William Herbert Shipman
William Herbert Shipman
William Herbert Shipman was a wealthy businessman on the island of Hawaii. One estate of his family was used to preserve an endangered species of Hawaiian Goose. A historic house associated with his family for over a hundred years is called the W. H. Shipman House in Hilo, Hawaii...
family to farm and raise cattle. Most of the land, however, was eventually sold off to become the large subdivisions of Puna
Puna, Hawaii
Puna is one of the nine districts in Hawaii County, Big Island, Hawaii. The District of Puna is located on the easternmost portion of the island and shares borders to the north with the District of South Hilo and a border to the west with the District of Kaū...
. The line between the large northern lots (sold by the state as 30-50 acre farms) and 1-3 acre southern lots in the vicinity of Kurtistown, Mountain View, and Glenwood is the boundary between the Ōlaa and Keaau ahupuaa. It is also interesting to note that this boundary follows the edge of the 200-400 year old Ailaau lava flow, and the ahupuaa of Keaau was undoubtedly originally created from the land devastated by this flow.
Many local towns in Hawaii still maintain the names of the old ahupuaa. In West Maui, the towns (north to south) Honokōhau, Honolua, Kapalua
Kapalua, Hawaii
Kapalua is a census-designated place in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. A resort development by the Maui Land & Pineapple Company extends inland from Kapalua Bay and Honolua Bay. The population was 467 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Nāpili
Napili, Hawaii
Napili is an unincorporated area located north of Lāhainā, West Maui, Hawaii, United States. Napili Beach is a small beach surrounded by condominiums, and the local neighborhoods of Hui Road and Napilihau are home to hundreds of the people who work in West Maui's tourist industry.-See...
, Kahana
Kahana
- People :* Rav Kahana II, Jewish Amora sage, active in Babylon and in the Land of Israel* Rav Kahana IV, Jewish Amora sage of Babylon* Pesikta de-Rav Kahana, a collection of Aggadic Midrash which exists in two editions* Kahana b...
, Honokawai
Napili-Honokowai, Hawaii
Nāpili-Honokōwai is a census-designated place in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 6,788 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Nāpili-Honokōwai is located at ....
, Kaanapali, Lahaina, and Olowalu follow the ahupuaa names, with each maintaining their local flavors.
External links
- Ahupuaa: Land for the Good of All Maui No Ka 'Oi MagazineMaui No Ka 'Oi MagazineMaui Nō Ka Oi Magazine is a bi-monthly regional magazine published by the Haynes Publishing Group in Wailuku, Hawaii.The phrase Maui nō ka ʻoi means "Maui is unparallel" in the Hawaiian language. Maui Nō Ka Oi Magazine features stories relating to the culture, art, dining, environmental issues,...
Vol.7 No.4 (Jan. 2004). - Ian Lilley: Archaeology of Oceania: Australia and the Pacific Islands, Wiley-Blackwell, 2006, Thegn Lawford and Michael Graves: The Formation of HawaiianTerritories, pages 259-283