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Na ‘Āina Kai’s most recent project is a miniature ahupua‘a, a pie-slice-shaped area of land
beginning at a point in the mountains and continuing into the sea. Early settlers to the Hawaiian Islands from the
Marquesas Islands and Tahiti, having discovered the islands in their voyaging canoe journeys, began bringing more
people and supplies here beginning around 1200 AD. The ali‘i nui or high chief at that time divided the islands into
large districts or moku, then further divided these moku into ahupua‘a. People within the ahupua‘a were free to use
the resources there but were prohibited from taking anything from adjoining ahupua‘a. The reason for the mountains
to sea division for each area was to provide the people within the area access to all the provisions they would need
for their daily lives.
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Mosaic tile depiction of life
in an ahupua‘a
by artist Alex Gupton
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Within Na ‘Āina Kai’s miniature ahupua‘a, the mountain waterfall forms a stream that flows downhill past huts,
taro loi, sweet potato fields and other plantings into the fish-filled “ocean”. The ahupua’a, when complete, will be home to 15
bronze inhabitants involved in traditional daily activities including kapa-making, mat-weaving, canoe-making, fishing, hunting
and planting. Each of these bronze inhabitants are the work of Hawai‘i sculptor Holly Young. |
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Big Island artist Layne Luna has created fiberglass replicas of fish commonly caught in the Hawaiian ocean waters.
In Na `Aina Kai’s ahupua’a are species such as the Spectacled Parrotfish (Uhu), Whitesaddle Goatfish (Kumu),
Threadfin (Moi), Convict Tang (Manini), Bluefin Trevally (Omilu) and Bigeye Scad (Akule). These represent a few
species that were an important food source for the ancient Hawaiians. Today, these same fish remain popular for
fishermen and snorkelers alike. |
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Plants within the ahupua‘a are a combination of native Hawaiian plants, either endemic (found only in Hawaii)
or indigenous (occurring naturally without the help of man) and Polynesian introduced plants which came with
the original Polynesians in their voyaging canoes.
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