Immersion Week Day 1: Waikalua Loko Iʻa (Fish Pond)

 My first morning in Hawai‘i was spent outside, eating breakfast outside in the beautiful garden. Monday's field trip was to a Waikalua Loko Iʻa (fish pond) in Kāneʻohe. My classmate, Denise, who has returned to Hawai‘i after living in Guam for 50 years, agreed to drive, so I went for a little walk to familiarize myself with the neighborhood and meet her near the University. 

Along the way, I saw some political signage... and something I've never seen before: a candidate stumping on a corner, in person. I feel like it was a level of connection and community that is unique to island life.

Photo of a political candidate standing on a corner, waving to cars passing by

My walk took me along a lava rock wall topped with something that looked like cacti. It reminded me of home and made my heart stick in my throat. 

I had that feeling more than once today.

The next time was driving alongside the steep mountains that feed the fish pond, with tributaries of water flowing down the steep sides. 

Mountains looked like forested curtains, with vertical curves running the length of the face.

It turns out that the mountains are the rim of a volcanic crater, so I actually spent the day at the center of this crater.

The next time was during the oli (chant) of entrance. We honored a timeless tradition by chanting our intention to our host and requesting a welcome. I have been doing my best to learn this chant over the past few weeks. What I wasn't expecting was the profound and humbling gratitude I felt when the hosts chanted their welcome in a language I didn't understand, one almost as old as the land I stood upon. 

I learned about this beautiful fish pond that they have been restoring for over fifty years... and the things they have learned through an interweaving of science and the ancient wisdom of observing and caring for the fish -- including genetically modifying fish to live in salt water, fresh water, and brackish water through breeding. I learned about the invasive mangroves that were introduced to help haoli's with their unsustainable farming practices.

I got to use a machete for the first time, hacking away at invasive mangrove saplings down to the roots. We didn't tackle the patch of mangrove trees that were 60 feet high, which grew along one border, but they helped me to understand the incredible work that has been done to restore the pond, which was overrun with these tall trees 50 years ago when they first started to reclaim it. 

Hacking at the mangrove tree

Lunch was filled with foods I have never tried before, like kalo, poi, and Kalua Pig.

After sharing our oli mahalo (thanks) to our hosts, I teared up again when he said that, after working the land, we are now ‘ohana to the land and are welcome to return any time.

We stayed outside under the awnings to do some math and also create some mind-mapping artwork. It was so much fun, and I loved working with my classmates! 

You'd think after a full day of working in the sun and rain, I would have wanted to go straight to sleep. But, nope! My classmate Maddie had the intention of busing to Waikiki, so I joined her! We arrived right at sunset and soaked in the warm water and talked and talked. It was a beautiful end to a beautiful day.

Me on the beach!

Day 2 is coming up... We are heading to Hawaiʻi's Plantation Village in Waipahu, then to Leeward Community College.

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