Ahupuaʻa is a Hawaiian term for a large traditional socioeconomic, geologic, and climatic subdivision of land.
Some oral history relates that ʻUmi-a-Līloa, son of the great High Chief Līloa, took control of the land and divided it into ahupuaʻa.[1] However, there is also a general belief that the natural organization of communities along stream systems is the foundation for the system, whose community governance system of Kānāwai is often attributed specifically to shared water usage.
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 ʻuala (sweet potatoes), yams, and dryland taro in addition to other small crops.[2] This dryland cultivation was also known as the mala. It also consisted of (kalo) taro, (niu) coconuts, (ʻulu) breadfruit, (maiʻa) bananas, and (kō) sugar cane. The kukui tree was sometimes used as a shade to protect the mala from the sun.[3] Each crop was carefully placed in an area that was most suitable to its needs.[4]
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.[2]
The ahupuaʻa 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 ahupuaʻa included a lowland mala (cultivated area) and upland forested region.[5] Ahupuaʻa 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 ahupuaʻa, they practiced aloha (respect), laulima (cooperation), and mālama (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.[6] 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.[7] Ahupuaʻa is derived from Hawaiian language ahu, meaning “heap” or “cairn,” and puaʻa, pig. The boundary markers for ahupuaʻa were traditionally heaps of stones used to put offers, often a pig, to the island chief.
Each ahupuaʻa was divided into smaller sections called ʻili, and the ʻili were divided into kuleana. 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.[7] There may have been two reasons for this kind of subdivision:
travel: in many areas of Hawaiʻi, 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.
Each ahupuaʻa was ruled by an aliʻi or local chief and administered by a konohiki.[8]
Rule over an ahupuaʻa was given out by the ruling chief to subordinate members of the aliʻi. On the larger mountains of Maui and Hawaiʻi, smaller ahupuaʻa extended up to about 6,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, while the higher elevations of an entire district would be included within a single large ahupuaʻa. These ahupuaʻa, such as Kaʻohe, Keauhou, Kapāpala, Keaʻau, Keʻanae, Puʻu Waʻawaʻa, and Humuʻula, 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 ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian petrel) chicks. They were given to high-ranking aliʻi, or often retained by the high chief personally.
♥︎♥︎♥︎ ahupua'a article from nation of Hawaii dot org ♥︎♥︎♥︎
KahuPuna is excited to introduce its new TikTok series focusing on the roles of every community member in the traditional Hawaiian way of life known as the ahupuaʻa system. The series will feature short episodes exploring each individual or element depicted in the Ahupuaʻa poster above, providing insights into the details of each one portrayed in the artwork.
Here's a sneel peek of what we are exploring in Episode 1:
Roles in the sacred Ahupuaʻa system with KahuPuna EPISODE 1 : Going back to Hawaii's ancient past to mālama it's future.
The 'iwa (great frigate bird) soars and glides gracefully with its seven-foot wingspread offshore for hour after hour. Because its hulu (feathers) are not waterproof and it is not web- footed it seldom makes water landings
2. A lawai a (fisherman) proudly displays the be'e (octopus) he has just caught. Most often inshore fishing for bee is done with a spear. A shiny leho (cowry shell) is used as a lube'e (lure) when hooking be'e in deep waters.
"GREAT AND NUMEROUS IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HAWAIIANS" The Ahupua'a book 📖 is filled with really beautiful Hawaiian Proverbs and old teachings. It truly holds vast resources, to pass down to our own keiki, and theirs , to be assured that the Hawaiian Kingdom can once again thrive as we did before .
Following the unlawful overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy, Hawaii remains under illegal occupation by the United States to this day. The traditional Ahupuaʻa lifestyle has largely faded into obscurity in many parts of Hawaii, with rampant overdevelopment evident in places like Honolulu (Oahu is a total concrete jungle . As someone born in Hawaii ... its the worst of the islands...) and certain areas of Maui, and kailua kona, etc..
Having been born and raised in a remote area of Moku o Keawe (Hawaii Island), I come from a place where residents aim to live self-sufficiently. As a community, we support each other through trade and bartering, making it a part of our daily lives. I feel fortunate to experience this cooperative and sustainable way of living as the norm and it's a mission of mine with KahuPuna global organization to bring this sustainability lifestyle back to the forefront in Hawaiian Kingdom.
Having enjoyed numerous conveniences over several decades, humans have become dependent on simply going to the store to purchase items when needed, rather than engaging in homesteading and creating our own goods.
Hawaiian Kingdom is rising finally (see previous blog entry.. the one befire this one ♥︎ https://wearepuna.wixsite.com/aloha-activism/post/unveiling-the-path-to-the-resurgence-of-hawaiian-kingdom-breaking-free-from-illegitimate-occupiers ) and it's the best time to bring back these systems and learn from them in my honest opinion.
If you've made it this far,
Eye ALOHA YOU.
make sure you're following on tik tok and please share out the mini episodes when you see them!
Let's mālama the āina please see this article here and how we can also come together as community in Hawaii to help a community that's in dire need of the world's attention --> https://wearepuna.wixsite.com/aloha-activism/post/geothermal-activism-in-hawaii-geothermaleducation-kahupuna
Aloha
Leave me a comment let me know where your reading from ! It would mean alot to me. Mahalo (thank.you)
Jazzy
KahuPuna
Aloha Activism ⚘️
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