Ola i ka Wai - Water is Life

Ola i ka Wai - Water is Life

The central truth of Kaloko-Honokōhau, the secret that allowed life to flourish on this sun-scorched lava, is wai. The Hawaiian proverb, "Ola i ka wai," means "Water is life," and here, that is no mere metaphor. While the land appears arid, a hidden network of freshwater flows from the mountain underground, mixing with the salt water in coastal pools and ponds. This precious resource was the lifeblood of the settlement.

The ancient Hawaiians, with a deep, scientific understanding of their environment, harnessed this water to create one of the most complex aquaculture systems in the Pacific: the loko iʻa, or fishponds. This park is unique—the only one in the national park system that preserves three distinct types of these aquatic marvels. Each is a testament to Hawaiian ingenuity. They are not simply ruins but living classrooms of sustainable engineering.

Kaloko Fishpond: The Great Wall

At the northern end of the park lies Kaloko Fishpond, a breathtaking feat of engineering. The name Kaloko itself simply means "the pond." Here, our ancestors built a colossal kuapā across a natural ocean bay, transforming it into a vast, 11- to 17-acre fish farm. This wall stretches for nearly 800 feet and stands over six feet high and up to 40 feet wide. It was constructed entirely of lava rock without any mortar.

The genius is in the design. The stones of the kuapā were not stacked vertically but at a precise angle. This allowed the wall to absorb and diffuse the immense power of the ocean waves rather than fight against it—a design far superior to many modern concrete seawalls. The porous lava rock also allowed seawater to circulate, keeping the pond healthy. This structure was a living, breathing barrier between the wild ocean and the controlled nursery within.

The purpose of this loko kuapā was not just to hold fish, but to fatten them. The pond keepers were essentially aquatic ranchers, cultivating specific types of algae on the pond floor as a rich pasture for prized fish like ʻamaʻama and ʻawa. At openings in the wall, they placed ingenious gates called mākāhā. These grates had slats wide enough for small, juvenile fish to swim in from the ocean but too narrow for the large, fattened fish to escape. It was a perfect, sustainable system of food production, a reliable source of protein for the entire community.

This physical marvel is also a spiritual one. Moʻolelo tell of a moʻo, a powerful water-dwelling guardian spirit, who rests on a rock and watches over Kaloko, ensuring its bounty. Another spirit, Kumakapuʻu, is said to sit upon the great seawall, protecting the life within. The construction of the pond was an act of engineering, but its success was an act of balance between the physical and spiritual worlds.