Hawaiian Fishing Traditions
and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Aloha! E komo mai (welcome)! Do you like fishing? If you do, please dive deeper into this website! Here you will learn of several great lawai'a (fishermen), who were heroes in ancient Hawai'i. Now, remember that word, "lawai'a" which means fisherman or fishermen, because you will be seeing it a lot throughout this site!
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Hawaiian legends are filled with colorful stories about lawai'a and how they could single-handedly save or destroy a community by providing them with seafood or by driving the i'a (seafood) away. Sound amazing? Although these legends are fictional, the foundations upon which they were built are rooted in Hawaiian fishing traditions. It is true that lawai'a could catch several canoes full of i'a within a few hours, catch i'a bare-handed, and hold their breath for minutes at a time!
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So, who are these heroic lawai'a? Although only three are mentioned on this website, there are many more whose stories are still told today. The three lawai'a you will encounter here include: the lazy Kahaloa, the god Kū'ula, and Kū'ula's brave son 'Ai'ai.
Another thing; these three lawai'a not only knew how to fish and care for their 'ohana (community), they also knew how to care for the ocean. Ancient Hawaiians practiced "malama i ka 'aina, malama i ke kai," meaning they cared for the 'aina (land) and kai (ocean) like one would care for a grandparent. Lawai'a were successful fishermen because they lived in harmony with the ocean. If lawai'a did not treat the ocean with respect, then they would not be rewarded with i'a. |
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E komo mai once again, and witness for yourself the cleverness and ingenuity that ancient Hawaiian lawai'a shared. Click here to read a few Hawaiian legends!
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