Loko I'a Kalo

My class did a project on fish ponds. The type of fish pond I did my project on is called a loko i'a kalo. Loko i'a kalo means taro fish pond in hawaiian. This type of fish pond was very significant to the hawaiian people because it incoorporated the growing of the taro plant with the raising of fresh water fish.

Some of the species raised in the loko i'a kalo are:

1. Taro
Hawaiian name- (Kalo)
Taro is a water loving plant that was very important to the Hawaiians. Taro made up a large and essential part of the Hawaiians’ diet. In Hawaii flat valleys were plentiful and perfect for taro cultivation. The taro was big factor in the expansion of the Hawaiian population and the creation of water irrigation. Taro is usually grown in muddy freshwater patches or pond fields. It takes 6-12 months for taro to mature and it is easily cultivated.

2. Hawaiian Shrimp
Hawaiian name- ‘Opae
Hawaii has three types of native freshwater shrimp, all with close ties to the ocean. One type lives in lava ponds with underground connections to the sea. The other two spend the first part of their lives at sea and the rest in streams or estuaries. It is these two species that people like to eat. The Hawaiians enjoyed eating the ‘opae and would raise them in the Loko I’a Kalo. The ‘opae eat drifting plant and animal matter and they will also scavenge along the bottom of the stream looking for food. This type of activity constitutes the ‘opae as a detritivore.


3. Goby
Hawaiian name- O’opu
The o’opu prefer fast flowing fresh water and therefore flourished in the Loko I’a Kalo. The early Hawaiians loved to eat the o’opu, they thought eating it would bring them good luck. The o'opu was used in house warming ceremonies, so that they would have good luck throughout their lives. The Hawaiians raised this fish in the Loko I’a Kalo and it is endemic to Hawaii.



4. Milkfish
Hawaiian name- Awa
The milkfish was one of the Hawaiians favorite fish to eat. It was a very important source of food because of its abundance in Hawaii and its fatty flesh. It was one of the main species of fish raised in the Loko I’a Kalo. The milkfish can survive in freshwater and brackish water and would therefore sometimes be transferred from different loko i’a kalo’s. Its diet consists of algae, diatoms, and whatever else it can get from the bottom of the pond, so it was able to flourish in the Loko I’a Kalo.

5. Kuhliidae fish
Hawaiian name- aholehole
The aholehole was an important fish to the Hawaiians and their culture. It was used in sacrifices when a white fish was needed, as in a ceremony to keep away evil spirits. It was also used to ward away evil spirits when constructing a house. The fish would be placed underneath the foundation of the house and it was to ensure that everything would go well. The aholehole could survive in fresh and salt water and was quite abundant in the Loko I’a Kalo. It was considered a “pig of the sea” and would often times be used in place of a real pig in ceremonies if a real pig wasn’t available.

Background:
Loko I’a Kalo is a fresh-water fish pond that was used by the ancient Hawaiians. This type of fish pond was basically a combination of a taro patch and a fish pond. It was managed by the maka`ainana or commoners of Hawaii, and it was usually the women’s responsibility to tend to it. Loko I’a Kalo was located in the mountains and it utilized the fresh water from the taro patches and the nutrients created by the taro to provide a sufficient place to tend fish.