Paepae o He’eia

Fish pond that the locals are trying to restore
Went to taro fields about 2 miles away and helped harvest.

Pond is a mixture of fresh and salt water (brackish).
Photo plankton blooms.
They have less access to fresh water than they did years ago
Different plants, fish, crabs, taro on the freshwater side
AHaupua- land divisions that would sustain the land and people. If the land division does not have it you don’t get it
Used rocks in the land divisions to create the wall of the fish ponds
Taro patches were crucial to Hawaii, used to control water. Grow in small ponds, and gather nutrients.
Very sensitive to the fact that the resources that they need to restore will deplete others
15 years into the restoration of the pond about 10 years to go
Goal: 4,000 fish per acre. Harvest regularly while staying sustainable.
Traditional ecological knowledges - look towards the indigenous knowledge of agriculture/nature
Try to build a community as well as a pond
Give to others to build a community that gives to you as well
Have guardians of the pond, they still talk about them. They protect the fish pond
If they do not pay attention the guardians will send them messages, taking the fish, to fix it.
They work according to the moon calendar and catalog fish activity
Makaha- gate
Trying to recreate a sustainable relationship with the fish so they are not so afraid of the people
Named each makaha once completely restored

This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I was expecting a fish pond that was about 20 by 20 feet, not an 88 acre pond. It was a great learning experience and I wish we would've been able to stay longer and do some service learning. The way Mamo talked about the fish pond and their goal to feed people was very spiritual and interconnected. This was the first time I realized that Hawaii religion and culture is still practiced and cherished. It also showed me how the definition of sustainability is not just the textbook version. For the people who live by the fish pond, it is restoring something that supported their community and can continue to support them as long as they continue to teach others and protect the practice.

The restoration process is long and still has about 10 years left until the pond is fully restored. They have to undo damage that colonizers did by introducing invasive species. They partner with the local school to help educate students about the practice and upkeep of the fish pond. They use ancestorial knowledge and modern knowledge to help achieve their goals.

I think this is a great way for a whole community to be sustainable and help keep alive Hawaiian traditions and knowledge.
References:
https://paepaeoheeia.org/about-us/Read more