Kauai History and Fishing Kapu

The Hawaiian kapu (taboo) system regulated fishing and farming seasons, along with other aspects of social life. One of the kapu covered aku (ocean bonito) and ‘opelu (mackerel) in which there were alternating six-month restrictions allowing the fish stock to replenish itself while still providing a steady source of food. Hawaiian fishermen also paid close attention to the lunar cycle, with the time of full moon being especially good for fishing. Summer was the time for tilling crops, inshore fishing, gathering seaweeds, shellfish, and harvesting salt. During winter, when rain flooded streams and shallows filled with mud and silt, inshore fishing was kapu but deep sea fishing was allowed.

Leading lives so intimately tied to the natural world, Hawaiians became expert at reading weather signs and ocean currents. Hawaiians had many specific names for sky conditions and cloud formations: ‘Ele’ele (black cloud), Ke’oke’o (white cloud), Ho’omalumalu (sheltering cloud), Ho’oweliweli (threatening cloud), Anuenue (rainbow). For fishermen, exposed to the elements as they worked while out on the water, reading the weather correctly was critical. Rains like clouds were also called by specific names according to their traits: Ualoa (extended rainstorm), Uapoko (short rain spell).

Hawaiians also had names for specific regions of the ocean from the shore to the open sea: Pu’eone (sandy edge of the sea, inshore dunes), ‘Ae kai (water’s edge where land and sea meet), Po’ina nalu or kai po`i (point where waves break), Kai po`i `ana (sea just outside where surf breaks), Ka hele ku (second space beyond where surf breaks and where footing may still be found), Kai kohola (shallow sea inside reef, reef flats, the lagoon), Hi aku (sea beyond reef flats and inside deep blue sea), Kai uli (deep blue sea beyond reef flats), Moana (ocean, open sea).

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