Maui's Loko I'a Kalo

Loko I'a Kalo

Cultural Significants

The Loko I'a Kalo is the only fish pond that was managed by the common people, or maka'ainana. This fish pond was used to harvest fresh water fish, shrimp and to grow taro. The women took care of this fish pond but the men were allowed to help when the women alloweded them. The reason for this is that fresh water fish pond's water is clear. According to the Hawaiians woman were clean and pure so they could not tamper with water that was dirty and salty, while the men were to stay out of the clean water. The harvesting of the fish was done by the women; they would catch the fish with nets, when the fish had grow the appropriate size. The materials used in this fish pond are the land /mud, water and taro.The Loko I’a Kalo is both a fish pond and taro field, making it a important part of the Hawaiians diet. The fish pond was usually made close by a river, the fields were swamped with fresh water from a channel the Hawaiians made that would be redirected towards the taro field flooding the area.


Species


1) Kalo (Taro)- it was believed by the Hawaiians that it had the most “life force.” It was a staple of the Hawaiians’ diet. They made poi by pounding the kalo’s roots, and wrapped their pig in kalo leaves before they put it in the imu to give it more flavor.

2) Limu (algae)- The Hawaiians used limu as a seasoning, when they combined it with sea salt and mashed kukui nuts. The women were the ones that gathered the limu in the tidepools, while the men gathered the algae in the outer reef.

3) O’opu (Stream guppy)- It is the representative of unflagging devotion to achieving one’s goals. Some people believe that the O’opu should be the state fish instead of the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a because of the cultural significance. The O’opu was also a major food source for the Hawaiians.

4) Opae (Spineless Shrimp)- This shrimp was a food source for the native Hawaiians.

5) Awa (Milk fish)- Awa grown in the fishponds were for the chiefs and nobles.