The Last Lawai'a

Hawaii’s first Lawai’a were the first Polynesian arrivals who brought with them a corner stone of knowledge developed over a thousand years. Through an endless process of trial and elimination and through minimal resourceful means, the Lawai’a built and contributed to a thriving advanced society of people and culture. In today’s society of mixed races and tremendous growth, we would like to believe one version of the translation for Lawai’a to be the true Hawaiian meaning  as “enough fish”. In a conservative context, one might interpret that as “take only what is needed”. In truth, only a hundred years ago the context for Lawai’a meant “enough fish for the people’s survival “. The Hawaiian people were so dependent on ocean resources that it directly influenced culture and law (kapu systems) and mixed with complex religious beliefs and superstition. Hawaiian Lawai‘a took seriously in their daily lives a routine of ritual, offerings and prayer. What would be considered to us today as minute (ie. simply not asking permission) could bring punishing circumstances.

Lawai’a followed a set of cultural practices and morals that were passed down through generations but, through changing demographics and influences, these now have become more and more distorted. Overwhelmed and forced to compete by Western philosophies, the Lawai’a now struggles for a place in today’s society. With conflicting uses through development and competition for ocean resources brought about by a mindset of foreign culture, the Lawai’a have found it most challenging and difficult adjusting to these new moralities.

Hawaii Island’s Kona Coast, with deep ocean topography famous for its deep-sea fishing, has become a Mecca for nearshore ocean tourism. Throughout the entire coastline, only the small Hawaiian fishing village of Miloli’i remains. Well known for its opelu and deep sea ahi ko’as, Miloli’i holds true to its culture and people. Being surrounded by foreign influence brings foreign philosophies and a misunderstanding of the Hawaiian culture. One example would be the simple loss through the taking of Kaku Nui (The Giant  Barracuda) for reasons foreign to Hawaiian culture and concepts. The concept of trophy fishing, to take the biggest fish for physical proof and documentation of a record or personal best, is wide spread today and the Kaku Nui is often sought after for this. Even Government fisheries management requires massive commercial kills to warrant documentation.  One believes that with modern technologies, photo releases could satisfy and achieve resource documentation. But till today this cannot be applied in such a way as an acceptable form of documenting and recording releases.

The Kaku Nui was an integral part of Hawaiian society and the Lawai’a placed great value on Kaku Nui. Any disappearance of this creature would bring hardship to the Lawai’a and the people who were so dependent on him. Hawaiians were proficient in using nature to their betterment and the Lawai’a’s relationship with Kaku Nui is one of the best examples. The mere tap on the side of his canoe by the Lawai’a quickly brought Kaku Nui. What followed was an abundance of opelu. Each Kaku Nui held and protected these opelu schools as his own koa, even as Lawai’a fed and fished these opelu ko’as.  With such cooperation by an animal of seemingly low intelligence, one would almost think Kaku Nui understood that there was a benefit to him. From the Lawai’a’s standpoint, Kaku Nui served two purposes: the first as a natural deterrent which kept away such predators as Kawakawa (tuna), Kamanu (rainbow runner), and Ulua (giant trevally). These predators caused opelu schools to become unsettled and erratic, thus making them nearly impossible to catch by the Lawai’a. The second purpose was to keep the opelu school feeding densely and cooperatively, allowing them to be caught easily. In return, the Lawai’a gave back to Kaku Nui a small portion of his catch. This kept the Lawai’a and Kaku Nui in harmony and both benefited from each other’s acts.

The Puhi Nui (Giant Moray Eel), a species that some feel warrants protection because of its rarity, also played an important role in Hawaiian society. This beast was also a natural protector of resources as Lawai’a knew where they existed and dared not venture too close to its home. Besides well known man-made kapus used to manage ocean resources, this creature was a natural deterrent to fishing within the vast areas where they were feared and known to inhabit. Less known or understood, the Puhi Nui were also aumakua (Hawaiian deities) to certain families. Hawaiians that believed this and followed the proper protocol could fish unharmed in areas guarded by Puhi Nui.

Two recent events off the Kona Coast involved the concept of trophy fishing and the Puhi Nui. One Puhi Nui in the range of one hundred fifty pounds was taken in the 1990s and presently holds the current state record for moray eels in Hawaii. The other is pictured on the cover of a 2009 fishing publication and depicts a giant puhi hanging dead from a weigh station in Kona. The article partly reads that the spearfisherman sent his thanks to a taxidermy company. One’s belief strongly in difference to these acts would recall an old Hawaiian proverb that said glory was beheld by the amount of people one fed; life given to the bones of his people, especially the young and elderly. This proverb defines a purpose and reason (the purpose to feed a people and the reason to give life) far different from that of society today.

As foreign influences grew on the Kona Coast, trophy fishing grew with it. Following that came the demise of Kaku Nui and the harmony he represented between a self-sustaining people and the environment. Surprisingly, over time no laws were ever created to protect this harmony. What would be so simple to implement one might say a dreadful neglect had taken place.  What would cause them to go unprotected to this day?  The voice of Kaku Nui are silent with only a few Lawai’a remaining with knowledge enough to speak in its place, but many are retired or unwilling to face criticism.

Caretakers and stakeholders of West Hawaii’s ocean resources, being of mostly foreign influence, have failed to see the vital role these creatures played in Hawaiian society and its environment. These neglected issues remain an indirect consequence and continue to erode a people and culture. With Hawaii’s flourishing ocean tourism and related businesses, it seems conservation has become the tool to remove a society whose beliefs and values are far different from those who have recently made Hawaii their home.

As evidence to this, the question remains: who has spoken for these two treasures? To many, the answer is “not one speaks”. Passed in 1998 for fisheries management, Act 306 created The West Hawaii Fisheries Council which today has been most influential in fisheries issues. The WHFC most recently initiated and lobbied successfully for measures to protect the manta ray, a well known treasure for tourism in West Hawaii. Current data shows these creatures exist in the range of 300 per island.  Measures provided additional protection for the creation of a massive aquarium like setting.  Ironically this same council has failed to justify the protection of two of Kona’s most eldest and rarest treasures in the Kaku Nui and Puhi Nui. But perhaps it is that both have vicious dispositions that they continue without protection, unable to justify their place.  One can easily see that this unfair judgment, brought on by their own disposition, is not unlike that of Hawaii’s Lawai’a. Struggling for reason and purpose, Hawaii’s Lawai’a is fast becoming an outsider in his own world, unable to justify to a greater extent of being his place in this changing society that has forgotten his role as sustenance provider and an important part of managing our ocean environment.