I Paʻa Hou i Kalou: A Natural and Cultural Resource Asssessment for Waialeʻe, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi

Abstract

This report examines the natural and cultural resources of Waialeʻe, Oʻahu, asking 1) How can the natural and cultural resources of this place be understood through a contemporary Kānaka ʻŌiwi perspective? 2) What are the customary Kānaka ʻŌiwi resource management systems? And 3) How might these customary resource management systems be restored? To address these questions, I utilized archival search, literature review, field methods, social approaches, and geospatial analysis. Key outputs include a comprehensive desrcption of traditional place names and folklore of the district; a characterization of mid-19th century land use practices in the ahupuaʻa, and a preliminary deliniation of Kalou Marsh. These findings stand to affect the future management of Waialeʻe, which is currently being negotiated. Further, they may inform future approaches to place-based and culturallygrounded research in Hawaiʻi.