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History of Ka‘ā Ahupua‘a

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Sunset over the Kalohi Channel

Ka-‘ā (literally translated means “the rocky area”) is the largest of thirteen ahupua‘a on Lāna‘i. Taking up most of the north end of the island, 19,468 acres, Ka-‘ā is part of a unique and endangered landscape in the Hawaiian Islands.

It is a place of significance as a traditional cultural property, as well as for its history, and is rich in cultural landscapes, clear view planes, an open wilderness (still home to rare endemic species, though threatened for lack of care) and solitude; many consider Ka-‘ā to be a spiritual landscape. The natural and cultural resources, and subsistence practices sustained by the environment, remain important to both native Hawaiian families with generational ties to Lāna‘i, and a way of life to countless others who have helped shape the history of Lāna‘i.

At one time Ka‘ā supported many near-shore settlements, and native Hawaiian chants and traditions passed down over time speak loudly of the cultural and historical significance of the area. Traditional features, including burials, trails, residences (both long term and temporary), salt making sites, agricultural features, lithic workshops, petroglyphs, modified caves, contest fields and sites of undetermined uses are found throughout Ka‘ā. The residents of Ka‘ā regularly traveled between the coast and uplands, and several named localities in both environmental regions can be found in native traditions and historical literature. The turtle (honu) population at Polihua is integral to an account of the goddess Pele’s migration to Hawai‘i, and when ancient Hawaiians lived at Ka‘ā the honu provided important resources for traditional subsistence.

In addition to village sites, the near shore lands of Ka‘ā hosted many ceremonial sites, including the largest heiau (temple) on the island at Ka‘ena iki. Springs along the coast provided residents with potable water, and in the uplands the rich dry forest zone of the Malulani-Keahiakawelo-Kānepu‘u region (from around the 1,400 to 1,700 foot elevation) supported extensive dry land agricultural systems, residences, ceremonial features and resource collection sites. The endemic dry forest region was naturally adapted to drawing moisture from clouds to the land, which in turn facilitated water collection for crops and drinking through cloud/fog drip.

The region around Keahiakawelo in Ka‘ā (popularly called the “Garden of the Gods” since 1912) is one of the most significant storied landscapes on Lāna‘i. There are numerous traditions describing how native Hawaiians were able to survive on Lāna‘i, and why, at one time, Lāna‘i was noted for purple colored lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) blossoms. The traditions and stories of Keahiakawelo provide significant cultural value to the entire region, and makes the clear view plane between Keahiakawelo-Keahi‘āloa and the Lanikāula-Hālawa region of eastern Moloka‘i a significant cultural landscape (a Traditional Cultural Property). Ka‘ā hosted a short-lived penal colony for women between the 1830’s and ‘40’s.

Awalua Beach

Ka‘ā also holds a significant place in the history of Lāna‘i in the late 1700s, when warring chiefs of Hawai‘i and Maui brought their battles to Lāna‘i. The great dry land forest and extensive agricultural field system of Ka‘ā was burned in the course of the battles, with a resulting significant demise of the native residents in the region. The impacts on the natural environment contributed to the landscape residents and visitors see today. Despite this, the cultural and natural landscape of the kula (open plains lands) of Ka‘ā still host to some of the most unique dry-forest plants of the Hawaiian islands, and cultural features are found across the land.


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