THE AHUPUA’A AS A MODEL FOR ENVISIONING AND TEACHING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN: THE PHYSICAL, POLITICAL, AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENTS; TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE; AND MĀLAMA ‘ĀINA IN 21ST CENTURY HAWAI’I

Ahupua’a are generally described as wedge-shaped land divisions which radiate from the interior uplands, claim a deep valley, and extend seaward past the shoreline. The notion that each ahupua`a contained the resources the human community needed, from fish and salt, to fertile land for farming taro or sweet potato, to koa and other trees growing in upslope areas is correct—up to a point. But it’s wrong on several other levels. Although the ahupua'a provided a certain level of general resource self- sufficiency, the system also allowed for the development and regional and interisland commerce in specialized terroir- or natural resource-based products and skills as canoes, adzes, fish lines, salt, timber, and fine mats.

The ahupua’a system is a useful model for envisioning connections between components of the physical environment, and for effectively managing natural resources and their use by humans. The system is reflective of the Hawaiian concepts of holo’oko’a (wholism) and pili’ana (connections therein).

However, given the complex social, economic, and political contexts of contemporary life in Hawai’i, the ahupua’a system would be challenging to emplace in the manner it was used historically. The author suggests that the ahupua’a could be adapted fit modern conditions after assessing and addressing, among other factors:

• the climatic, hydrological, political, legal and other circumstances that prompt the adoption of adaptive management processes, systems, and technologies;
• the adaptive management processes, systems, and technologies and assess their effects on environmental, legal, cultural, social, and other interests of communities;
• the institutional, human resource, scientific, technical, traditional knowledge systems, capacity building, and other activities needed to prepare communities to participate in decision making related to climate impact mitigation and adaptation.