The Legacy of the 1848 Mahele and Kuleana Act of 1850: A Case System of the La‘ie Malo‘o Ahupua‘a, 1846-1930

Abstract

The 1848 Mahele and Kuleana Act of 1850 transformed the Kanaka Maoli land tenure system into one of private ownership. This study examines this transformation at the basic unit of the Kanaka Maoli land tenure system, the ahupua'a. The ahupua'a chosen for this study were La'ie Wai and La'ie Malo'o (La'ie) because they have and continue to be the focus of great controversy in regards to Kanaka Maoli land alienation. Part I of this thesis examines the process of land privatization and its initial effects on the Kanaka Maoli of La'ie while Part II examines the history of La'ie's Land Commission Awards between 1850-1930. This examination focusses on the legacy of Kanaka Maoli land alienation attributed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Zions Securities Corporation in La'ie.