Meetings seek input and leaders for 'Aha Moku advisory body

By Lisa Asato / Ka Wai Ola

A second round of public meetings are planned starting in July to begin to select leaders from each island to take part in 'Aha Moku Councils, which will advise the state on Native Hawaiian resource management practices.

A separate informational meeting for Moloka'i is planned for June 5, 6:30 p.m. at Kulana 'Ōiwi, Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, 'Uluhaimālamalama Room. “The meeting is to inform about the aha moku system as well as well as to gather those who are practitioners: mahi'ai (farmer), lapa'au (medicine), lawai'a (fisherman) and even those in hula that are familiar with the waterways from the mountain to the ocean,” said Vanda Hanakahi, chairwoman of the 'Aha Kiole Advisory Committee.

The 'aha moku system is site-specific to each ahupua'a, accounting for varying resources and seasons, Hanakahi said.

At the meeting, practitioners will also be able to learn from each other. Mac Poepoe, kahu of Mo'omomi Beach in Hoolehua, Moloka'i, provides a “good model of management following Hawaiian practices” and could serve as a model for other islands, she said. Poepoe “follows the seasons and he's very strict about who is allowed in,” she said. Day fishing, for example, is restricted to kūpuna and those who are unable to go out to do deep-ocean fishing, she said. Under Poepoe's guidance, studies at Mo'omomi are examining uhu spawning and how moon cycles affect the eating habit of fish, she said.

Community coordinator Leimana DaMate, said the creation of the 'Aha Moku Advisory Committee by law in 2007 allows for Native Hawaiian traditional and generational resource management to have a say in what needs to be done in areas like development and fishing. “This is going to be the first time our people are going to have a voice in resource management that's systematic by law,” she said.

The councils will take into account things like seasonal differences that “vary from island to island and moku to moku,” she said. The moon calendar, for example, is “days off in different parts of the state,” affecting things like spawning seasons, she said.

Les Kuloloio, the committee's Kaho'olawe representative, said past practices – specific to each area – will be used to protect the state's natural resources. “One of the problems we're finding is water issues on every island is different, natural resources issues are different, and everybody should not be wearing a size 8 shoe,” he said. “Everybody has to wear their own shoes that fits their islands and keeps their uniqueness.”

“We need to respect Hawaiian science and culture,” he added. “It's not 'versus' (western) science, but to show their are differences of our knowledge of how we should be protecting our natural resources, the 'āina, especially the water, land, shoreline and ocean and everything that deals with our Hawai'i.”

For information on the meetings, contact community coordinator Leimana DaMate at leimana@fastnethi.com.

The meetings follow on the heels of about 48 community meetings held statewide since January.