Of Foodwa in Hawai'i 2 T

' . .. .: . e evitall of Foodwa in Hawai'i 2 T Na ai 0'010' lo'u 1 The Turbulent Seas of Moloka'j Malia Akutagawa Living Culture, Living Ahupua'a feeli ng left us and the initial hock ofb ing ubm rged in the ocean faded in the early light of day.: n, I have to My brother Wiliama and I had two childhoods. Our first admit that watching the sun rise over the water and eing childhood was a very happy one, as we felt the love of two Kapualei's majestic outline on the mountain somehow 6 parents. Then in 197 our mother perished in a car accident made it all worth it. Back at home, we'd remove the fish while taking us to preschool, leaving our young father to tangled in the net and place them in the iced cooler, wash raise us alone. That's when our second childhood began. down the net, and reset it back into the boat. After finish ing these morning chores, we'd have just enough rime to We lived in Kamala, East Moloka'i Island, at the base of take a quick shower, put on our school clothes, and run out Ka'apahu ridge where the great lizard protector Kapualei to the bus stop. is naturally etched into the mountainside. In happier days, Mom and Dad taught us how to crab with the scoop net, The following year, we embarked on our second childhood catch 'apae (tiny shrimp) with a fine bamboo mesh net, and three miles down the road to the ahupua'a of'Ualapu'e, search for clams. It was as though the 'aina (land and sea) where our grandparents lived. Grandpa Masao has since was our grandmother, cradling us lovingly in her arms. passed on, but Grandma Kitty still lives. She is nearly a Later, with a smaller income to support us, we depended centenarian now with faded eyesight. She can't catch crab even more on the 'aina for survivaL and gather limu (seaweed) anymore, but she possesses a keen wit, a kolohe (mischievous) mind, and a sharp memory I was seven and Wiliama was six when Dad and Uncle filled with genealogical facts and funny stories of family Reuben taught us how to lay net. This kind of fishing was and kiipuna (community elders) long-passed. Her stories grueling. It meant laying long pieces of net into the night keep them alive. just as the sun set on the horizon. Dad and Uncle Reuben remained on board, releasing the net evenly, while Wiliama Thanks to Grandma Kitty, I perfected the art of crabbing and I had the unenviable task of pushing the boat in chest and learned to identify, clean, and prepare a number of deep water. At times the waves would slam us sideways edible limu delicacies: limu 'ele'ele, pakeleawa'a, manauea, against random coral outcrops. We each bear a hundred and ogo. The shoreline and shallows are her domain as a cars from those scrapes. After setting th net, we'd reluc kupuna (elder). She and the late Aunry Lani Kapuni, her tantly pull ourselves back into the boat, feeling the shock of former contemporary and next-door neighbor, were the the night wind hitting our backs. Shivering, we'd lie supine keepers oflimu knowledge. Aunty Lani's granddaughter on the boat floor and gaze at the stars overhead as the out Zelda kept the limu tradition alive, and I did the same with b rd motor puttered us home. my grandma. We always consulted the moon calendar to determine the best period for fishing and gathering. The n xc d y b for th sun ro e, Dad would shake us best time to gather limu and to go crabbing was at low tide. to r riev the n t. nee that bleary-eyed, drowsy Kahananui Stream entered into our area fi eding our limu 2 randm told u a great puhi (eel) guard I p nd. fi hpond h a kupua (super natur I nim I rm. a t pond are protected b o water pint. ) t houg hI'k let h e puhi ofcUalYtno . apu' kno n other kmd of guardtan spirits uch I as the of I upeke fi hpond further east. Each guardian fi h into the pond and ble se the pond With Fr 111 h r w w uld p by an ov rhanging kiawe have never seen the puhi of'Ualapu e pond b-Vl.lln".~ . , Ut did (01 quit) r hat randma I i ty on idered her lucky its powerful strength when someone once placed rab ~ at hing p t. h would i ring there to hang iron piping across the makaha. This grate mad . a e It rom th bran h nd dangle bundle of rotting fish scraps for fish to enter the pond, and it was improperl in th hallow. Thi wa randma's special bait to attract by a newcomer who wanted to r~i s~ domestic XUcks crab, parti ularly th white, I uahonu crabs, and blue pond. When we passed by the makaha along the pinchers. Grandma would often set her bait and then walk our fishing grounds, we saw each piece of iron pipe back home. She would wait a few hours and relax at home like corkscrews. My father told us it was the puhi to give the crabs time to smell the bait and eat to their its disapproval. The strong current flOWing through content; then she'd return with her scoop net and bucket makaha and my father's words always made me to retrieve enough crab for her pot. when passing by. The way the pipes were twisted me of the kind of graceful, flourishing, serpentine I liked Grandma's method. It seemed more fair than using of a huge moray eel I once saw when it snuck OUt of a iron box traps. Grandma's low-tech procedure conveyed to reef hole to snack on fish we had caught and strung me a kind of ethic that is missing today. It's a rhythm that dive float. the old-timers have of not worrying, knowing that the 'aina provides and that there is no need for anxiety and greed. The end of the kuapa led us to the palena (boundary) If some crabs eat their fill and leave, it's okay. Grandma 'Ualapu'e and marked the beginning of the next will still have enough for her pot. Mission accomplished, Kalua'aha. We did not traverse beyond the fishpond's Grandma would retrieve her strings from the kiawe tree, That domain belonged to the Pedro, Bangolan, Kong, careful not to leave 'opala (rubbish) behind. Showing her Kalima, and Castor 'ohana (families). From the palena gratitude, she'd always leave the baitfish in the water for would head out to our fishing grounds comprised of more crabs to enjoy. patches in the shallows and fringing reef where the break. We'd fish just inside the wave break and let the Dad continued our fishing education, teaching us the names current drift us westward. of special fishing spots or kola in 'Ualapu'e and good grounds for he'e (octopus). We would begin our fishing forays with My preferred spear of choice was the Hawaiian sling. I our tabis (traditional Japanese socks) on our feet and gear preferred quickness and second, third, and fourth in hand while making the short trek on the foot trail behind that a three-pronged spear with a rubber sling afforded Grandma's house to the beach. Passing by Grandma's lucky The tedious cocking and re-cocking of the hinge gun crab-catching kiawe tree, Dad, Wiliama, and I would hug not my style. It required patience and quiet delilberiilom the kuapa of the large 'Ualapu'e fishpond, then give a wide that clashed with my youthful brashness. berth around the malciha, the opening sluice gate where the currents and tidal exchange are strongest, carving a little The hinge suited my brother's personality more than channel through the sand. own. Wiliama had already cultivated the discipline of a OUAIS 30 la d, ga h ring f~om its ric an ing in h a all require a heart rev ren e and a kuleana to give back. hunter. He went on long trek up the mountain with Dad The numerous heiau at Manawai and 'Ualapu'e and tudi d moving deer herd through the scope of his massive undertaking required to construct them rifle. H only took aim when he felt confident about the a much larger population in ancient times than hot. Wiliama applied the same patience while searching families living there today. Dad said it must for big fish under coral crevices. He knew his spear barb like Rome, with the amazing dry-stack stone would secure big fish trying to shake loose and that he of these ancient temples. We would encounter could retrieve them even from tight reef puka (holes). heiau every five minutes along our walk while I caught the easy fish, such as manini, Grandma's favorite. explain their function and purpose. There is Like most old-timers, she loved to eat manini with the guts only women could utilize. It was for pounding inside, either prepared as a soup or piilehu (grill) style. made from wauke (paper mulberry). I imagined wauke growing in Manawai as well as hundreds fter catching enough fish for dinner, we'd exit the fishery of sweet potato growing at 'Ualapu'e, for that is its at the palena marked by the inner edge of another fishpond a hill of sweet potato.

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