After we cleaned up at the lo'i, we went a couple of blocks down to He'eia fishpond (where the water from the lo'i enters the ocean). Hope did an amazing 'oli, which we wished we could have recorded. She asked for permission for all of us to enter. Once we saw the fishpond, we could see the direct connection of the lo'i to the sea. Hi'ilei Kawelo, Executive Director of Paepae O He'eia, a non-profit organization, spent some of her valuable time with us to talk about the history of the loko i'a.
Hi'ilei told us that there were once more than 400 fishponds throughout Hawai'i, most around the island of O'ahu. Now there is only a fraction of that remaining and He'eia fishpond is one. We walked on the fishpond walls that are being carefully restored.
Hi'ilei showed us some native plants that are sprouting up on their own. This is the ahu 'awa, a sedge, that is used to filter the 'awa drink.
We walked to the makaha -- one of the gates that regulates the entry and exit of fish. The tide was going down so the water was rushing out of the pond and into the ocean. It was cool to watch!
We sat by the hale kia'i, which was built about a year ago. Hi'ilei told us a lot of very interesting information about how fishponds work, how the Hawaiians farmed fish, and why it's important in today's modern world.
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Everything she said made so much sense!
Mahalo, Hi'ilei, and the good people of Paepae O He'eia, for providing this great learning center where we can see first-hand a real loko i'a.
A hui hou, till we meet again.
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