What is a loko i`a?

Today, fish are raised and harvested from fabricated fish pens and off-shore enclosures. In ancient Hawai`i, the people used a similar method to ensure that fish would be available for the community. Loko i`a, or fishponds, were used by the Hawaiian people for food, trade and wealth.

Fishponds, found in the sea and some on land, were considered part of the land. Ali`i (chiefs) who ruled the land were considered wealthy if they had many loko i`a under their jurisdiction. You see, in order to build a loko i`a, a large work force was needed. In fact, over 10,000 people were needed to reconstruct Ko`ie`ie Loko I`a several hundred years ago!