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Waikīkī is located in the Mokupuni o Oʻahu and in the Moku kona.

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In ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Waikīkī means "spouting water". Place names are more than just names, they hold knowledge about the land and its natural environment. Spouting water refers to the extensive watershed system that covered Waikīkī. Water would gush from the underground and flow down the valleys. Water flowed from the Mauka to Makai from three valleys: Makiki, Mānoa, Pālolo valley. As the water entered the flat plain, the streams would merge and change; Mānoa transfromed into Kālia and Pālolo transfromed into Pāhoa. The streams empited into the ocean at Hamohamo. Freswater was abundant from both the streams and marshlands that covered the southern section of Waikīkī. The abundance of freshwater made Waikīkī an area of great wealth. The wealth - or waiwai - was present in the wai.

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View of rice fields towards Pālolo Valley from the back of Waikīkī. 

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When Hawaiian settlers in around 1000 AD arrived they saw the marshlands that made up Waikīkī. They transformed the area into an extensive network of wetland agriculture. Taro fields and fishponds covered the area, and overtime 85% of Waikīkī was covered in aquaculture. The field system took advantage of the three streams descending from Makiki, Mānoa and Pālolo valleys. The ample freshwater allowed for the flourishing wetland agriculture.

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Hawaiian royalty lived in Waikīkī because of its clean fresh water, abundant food and excellent surfing. In the 1400s, the nui of O‘ahu moved to Waikīkī. Until modernization, Waikīkī was the sacred home of the ali'i.

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Waikīkī was one of the most productive agriculture areas on O‘ahu. One reason came from the vast number of loko ‘ia that covered the ahupua'a. Between 20-40 fishponds were found throughout the inshore marshlands of Waikīkī in Kãlia. They were owned by the ali ‘i and were cultivated by the maka‘āinana. They were feed from freshwater streams that flowed down from the mountains. The inland fish ponds specifically were "royal iceboxes" for the ali'i that lived in Waikĩkĩ. The chiefs were able to have readily available food the any quests that arrived in the area.

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Loko I'a were also located on the edge of the ocean. Freshwater flowed makai and mixed with the saltwater to create the perfect brackish water conditions to raise larger saltwater fish. A mākāhā or sluice gate allowed small fish to enter the fish pond where they would fatten up and become too large to leave. The loko 'ia mainly grew awa and  ’ama’ama as these fish were perfectly adapted to the brackish water conditions.

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Awa were one of the most common types of fish grown the Waikīkī loko 'ia. They were perfectly adapted to the brackish water, and therefore perfect for the fish ponds. Hawaiians grew them before they were caught and eaten.

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'Ama'ama, or striped mullet fish, were the other most common type of fish grown in the Waikīkī loko 'ia besides awa. 'Ama'ama were also perfectly adapted to brackish water and therefore the perfect fish to be grown in the fish ponds. They can also grow decently large, making them an source of protein for Hawaiians.

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The abundant streams that flowed into Waikīkī made the area perfect for lo‘i. High chief Kalamakuaakaipuholua was one of the chiefs that lived in Waikīkī. As a taro farming expert he helped create a complex system of lo‘i. The waters flowed from one ‘ohana to another through the interconnected system. The taro fields provided Waikīkī with ample food, another reason for the lands great wealth and the location of political power.

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Surfing was deeply woven into Hawaiian life., it began so long ago in Hawaiʻi that it cannot be traced to when exac it started. Meles indicate that surfing was brought to Hawaiʻi from the Hawaiians that voyaged here. Aliʻi's had their own private beaches, and Waikīkī was a favorite for many of the royals. On the last day of Muku, all the chiefs went to Waikīkī to surf.

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Today Waikīkī is the hotspot for tourism on Oʻahu and in Hawaiʻi in general. Millions of dollars have been spent on the strip, beaches, landscaping and more. The hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, and the entire ecosystem revolve around urban tourism. You cannot tell that once the area was marshland covered with loko i'a and lo'i. But the ahupua'a holds its history not only in its name but in the very land itself.

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People Surfing in Waikiki during the 20th Century

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The modernization of Waikīkī also came with the modernization of surfing. Waikīkī became the epicenter of tourism in the 20th century. Thanks to the Hawaiian Olympian Duke Kahanamoku, surfing became popularized in the modern age. Tourists visited Waikīkī and took their try at the ancient sport. In the early 1900s, Caucasians began to surf at Waikīkī for the first time in history.

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Waikīkī began to change in the 1830s when foreign missionaries started to visit. A road was constructed in the 1860s, and tramcars were introduced in the late 1880s. By 1901, the Moana Hotel opened, and the area started to transform for tourism. In 1907 the territorial government created the "Waikiki Reclamation Commission" to commercialize the area. The 1920s saw the total urbanization of the area. In 1928 the construction of the Ala Wai Canal drained the wetlands and transformed the area into prime suburban real estate. Tourism only continued to grow more and more throughout the 20th century.

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Waiākea is located in the Mokupuni o Hawaiʻi and the Moku Hilo.

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In ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Waiākea means "open waters', as a reference to the amount of fresh water from rain and other natural resources in Hilo. In ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi names aren’t just names, instead, they are used as a placeholder for knowledge.  Waiākea is known for the ample amount of fresh water in the region, present from the rain, bay, streams, and rivers. Wailuku, Waiolama, ‘Alenaio, and Wailoa all flowed through Waiākea and fed Hilo Bay. The freshwater made Waiākea a region of great wealth, as the waiwai was reflected in the wai. Freshwater was the most important in Ancient Hawaiʻi, and Waiākea was rich.

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Waiākea was home to one of the most power royal seat on Hawai‘i island. Extensive dryland agriculture, affluent fishponds, and favorable ocean fishing made Waiākea a fruitful land. The ai‘i that lived in Waiākea had ample resources and held great power on Hawai‘i island. The chiefly residents in Waiākea started in the 16th century and lasted through Princess Ruth Ke' elikolani in the 1870s.

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Waiākea Loko iʻa - Waiākea, Hilo - Photo by N. Peralto

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Waiākea was known in past times as a place of "great abundance". The ahupuaʻa had an extensive system of loko iʻa. The mullet that was grown in the Waiākea were known for as being extremely sweet and fat. The fish ponds provided a plentiful source of protein. These fish ponds were favored by Kamehameha I and many Hawaiʻi island chiefs. Waiākea fish was one of the largest and most famous fish ponds in Waiākea.

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ʻAmaʻama, or mullet fish, were grown in the loko i'a in Waiākea. These mullet were known for being sweet and fat. Aliʻi favored the ʻamaʻama grown in the Waiākea fish ponds.

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Mohouli Loko iʻa - Waiākea, Hilo - Photo by N. Peralto

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Waiākea was known for its vast number of fish ponds. They covered the region and provided a great food source to the large ahupuaʻa. Out of all the loko iʻa, one of the most famous is Mohouli.

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One of the main reasons that Waiākea was so fruitful was because of all of the different resources accessible. Hilo Bay was a great source of fishing in Waiākea. The bay provided a protected region for fishermen and contributed to the ample supply of food for the ahupua'a. The ability to fish from both Hilo Bay and from the loko i'a in the region not only increased the protein supply but also allowed fishing to be possible both inland and on the shore. Furthermore, the bay provided much more than just food. Many ocean resources were able to be collected from the ocean and the the bay's protected waters.

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Dryland agriculture flourished in Waiākea. The heavy rainfall in Waiākea allowed for an extensive dryland agriculture system throughout the ahupua‘a. The māla, or dryland agriculture parcels, were inhabited and worked by the maka‘āinana and their ‘ohanas. Dry taro was planted where there was enough soil from the lava fields. Sweet potatoes and bananas were also planted extensively throughout Waiākea. Kukui, pandanus, and mountain apple were also prominent.

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Wetland agriculture or lo'i were also present throughout Waiākea. Taro ponds require a great deal of freshwater, and Waiākea's ample freshwater allowed the taro to flourish. The lo'i were planted in valleys throughout Waiākea where the ponds were present. Waiākea, better known as lehua, is also a form of taro that was grown.

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Waiākea was an area of great wealth from the land and marine resources throughout the region. It was an area of Hawai‘i Island royalty. The region began to transform in the 19th century to become an area of major food production. In 1879 Waiākea the first industrial boom began with Waiākea Mill Company. The mill was a major force in the development and urbanization of Waiākea. In the 20th century, much of Hilo's coastal population was wiped out by two major tsunamis. Afterwards, the coastal area began to rebuild and regrow.

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Waiākea Water and the Use of Natural Resources Today 

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Waiākea Water and the Use of Natural Resources Today 

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Waiākea Water is a modern day company that sells “volcanic beverages”. They sell water, sparkling water, coffee and more. Their entire mission is to sell beverages sustainably and ethically. They source water from the Mauana Loa aquifer. Waiākea Water is an example of the modernization of Waiākeas natural resources. Waiākea Water shows how modern Hawaiians are still trying to be sustainable and ethical in their use of the ahupua'a resources today.

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As Waiākea has changed and modernized, so have sacred places on the ahupua'a. Waiākea Peninsula was once a spiritual and cultural hotspot. Later it transformed into a tourist destination and a hub for economic growth. In recent years the peninsula has become rundown and a location for illegal activities. However, the community in Hilo is committed to bringing the peninsula back to its original beauty. The revitalization has been assisted by Hawai‘i's governor and through the loud voices throughout the Hilo Community.