Page 8 - MidWeek Windward - Dec 21, 2022

8 DECEMBER 21, 2022
Stewardship Training Opportunities Available For Historic Windward Fishpond
FROM PAGE 1
eight major Hawaiian Is- lands compared to 800 years ago. I believe that the Loko I‘a holds a critical link in Hawai‘i becoming a ‘pro- ducer’ again versus a heavy importer of food in the 21st century,” Lee adds.
president of both organiza- tions, and continues to advo- cate for education and pres- ervation of the historic site.
“To date we have devel- oped a library of rigorous culture-based curricula covering fishponds, the ah- upua‘a, the reefs of Hawai‘i, the island of Kaho‘olawe, sea level rise, tsunamis and global climate change,” says Lee.
“We partnered with the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation to assist in sharing what we have learned over the past 27 years to train anyone in- terested in carrying on the legacy of the Loko I‘a and sharing that with both ka- ma‘āina and malihini alike,” Lee says.
He adds, “We have now trained over 6,000 teach- ers statewide and have sur- passed 120,000 community participants that have spe- cifically come to our site to learn and give back to the ‘āina. Over 27 years have passed and the physical restoration is ongoing. In January 2022, we set a new course for the next 25 years focused on food production from the sea incorporating the Loko I‘a in partnership with the University of Ha- wai‘i.”
“Those training sessions will include mo‘olelo, arche- ology, aquaculture strategies and sharing our story first- hand in how we are restoring this community’s treasured resource for future genera- tions to steward and aloha.
Lee explains that addi- tional community partners and stakeholders — includ- ing Sea Grant, Windward Community College, the Ha- wai‘i Institute of Marine Bi- ology and the Smithsonian Institute — have worked to grow food in the Loko I‘a “as originally intended by our ancestors,” says Lee.
“If you don’t have aloha for yourself or your commu- nity, why would you work hard to ‘mālama’ it? Simply put, ‘aloha ʻāina, mālama ʻāina.’”
“There are less than 10% of the original 488 ponds that were built across the
Stewardship training opportunities (above) are available to care for Waikalua Loko I‘a, a centuries-old Windward fishpond (top). PHOTOS COURTESY HERB LEE JR. John’s Upholstery
Helping the People and Businesses of Hawaii restore their favorite furniture for over 30 years
For more information and to register for ‘ohana work- days, visit thepaf.org and click on Waikalua Loko, call 808-927-5646 or email herblee@thepaf.org.
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