HAWAIIAN CONSERVATION VALUES AND PRACTICES

.Since most llawaiians have become dbenfranchisedfrom their ' a h a and cultural henrage, [hey have trot n~a~nrained rhe rradidons, knowledge, and sprriiual values that tl~err ancestors had for nature.

~hhrles Kekuewa Pe'ape'a Makawalu Burrows

Until redcnrlv it had been assumed that the early Hawiiaos and other Polynesian groups had a close and hsrmonious relarmrship with the 'aina (land) and therefore h ~ d a minimal impact upon their natural environment (Kelly :975). Recmt findings hy Patrick Kirch (1982) showed thsr the pre- historic Hawaiians dramatically changed and altered Hawaiinnecosystems, ~wrticularh i n coastal m a s and lowland vallew. Evidence for this mw be found by ablyzing the relationship between eicavated extinct bird bones and increasin numbers of the remains of Polynesian stowaway species in upper geologica! strata. Stowaway remains include land snail shells (Lamellais mcilisl and the bones of the Polvnesian rat (Raftus erubm). The now- hinct 'b i rds may have numbered bomc 40 endrm$ speciesZat ,he arrival of prehistoric llawaiinns 1,500 yedrs ago. Kirch concurred wth Stnrrs Okon and Helen lamer (1982) that the extinction of these birds (for examole. fliehtless gsese, flightless raiis, and an eagle) was primarily due'o altcrat;~m'or J e - stmction of lowland habitats rather than direct predauon from the pre- historic Hawailam (Ki-ch 198:).

Were the Hawatians intentionallv destructive of their environment. or were changes a niilural pro~ression people uscd and managed their natural resourcss within the l~rnitationj of their knowledge and culture? Was the impact of rehistoric Polynesians on Hawai'i significant] greater than the impact of !~es:ern culture and technoloby with its intrndlced alien animal and plant spcc~es? Whnr were the primal (prehistorici Huwai.an value,. heliefs and practices rrearding conservation? Are these values and raclices maintained hv ore.cnt I I n w n ~ ~ m comnunit~es and ortanizstion\? &ese are - the questions-that this essay will address.

PRElllSTORlC HAWAIIAN CONSERVATION VALUES AND CONCEPTS

At the second Waiaha Conference on Mav 30. 1987. Hawaiians and other interested individuals representing \arloui ~ i ~ s i i a n &i!~izations guthered to identify and agree upon a common set of rmal t l awa~~an values and con- csots that mirht he usciul for contemoornrv?lswaiLitv (Su re r 19x8). 'The cdnfereice Gas sp&&xed by the aha hundation 16 discuss and respond

Hawaiian Conservation Values and Practices \Bunow 204

to several t o~ i c s in Ku Kanaka: Stand Tall. A Search for Hawaiian Values. written by &rge S. Kanahclc (1986).

'1'0 determine the values shared and practiced hv prehistoric l l;~wni~an.. before the corning of Westerners is a difilcult [ark. eweciallv when one attempts to view Them from the Hawaiian perspec'tivd. One-can only assume what these values may have been, based upon the oral traditions transmitted through the chants and hula, the early writings of Hawaiian historians David Malo, Samuel Kamakau, and John Papa I'i, the Hawaiian proverbs, the ohser- vations of early Western explorers and missionaries, and evidence from Hawaiian archaeological research.

The Hawaiian culture, in a manner similar to biological systems, evolved and changed over a period of time. The values of the prnto-Polynesians that developed into Hawaiian cultural values may not ever he fully known because these were modified as the population increased and different social and economic systems were inst~tuted.

Although the Waiaha Conference participants did not discuss conserva- tion values oerse. these values were identified within the subiect area discus- , . .ions o i relipon, economics, scicncc, and technology. The f d l o w i i ~ ~ uc,re \elected hv this uriter ;t.s conservation values and concepts helieved to h;we heen held hy pre-contact tlawaiions; they muv still he emheddeJ i n the think- ing of some contemporary Hawaiian<. They are: .\lunn'o'i'o (f;uth, rcq>r.ct tor nature); Knpu (s~credness or the forhidden): .\h (the proiane or that u hich is not k:tpu); 'lke (I;nou~lcdy,);,'Ai~iu (the li\,ing carrh); Ldulri (rlnlrv, hdl;~nce, harmony); and .llulama cdrlng).

In his h o d bnJ in the proceedings ni thc IVi~aha ('onicrcn~.~,, K:,nhhele offered some interesting comments a i d interpretations for each of these values (Kanahele 1986).

Mana'o'i'o (Fai th , Respect for Nature) Primal Hawaiians, as in most aboriginal societies, were religious in every

aspect of their being. There was no distinct separation among nature, the spiritual world, and man. The Hawaiian gods, which were "countless" (Malo 1951). inhabited all thines in the natural world. both animate and inanimate. ~ h e v w e r e omnipresent,-and the power oi the gwls ".;is expressed in the cnerg17ingor di\ine force c:~lled monu. hlana ilo\ved through thche rnt1t1r.s and m;mirested itself i n ccrtitin high chief. or ali'i ;rnd in various formi d nature (Bccbi th IYJU). ,\ comnwner dared nat c x t his \hadow Ilpon a kapu chief and hail to rcmain a certain distance a u q or he put to death (41310 I I . Tree> such ;IS the '01i1'u iC4~ucr (4i~rn1s;.Lw,s ~ o A . n u , r ~ / ~ o ~ :tnd koo ( ~ c a i i a koa) had mana; the mana was' invoked andlo; pro$ti&ed by canoe builders so that the tree could be used. Rocks of particular shapes and sizes represented different gods (for example, Ku'ula, the stone god of fishermen), were used to attract fish, and were placed in a ko'a or fishing shrine. The

rimal Hawaiian respected and revered nature and his ali'i, whom he he- ~eved possessed mana. Ali'i were considered sacred and, as such, were kapu.

However, not all things in nature had the same degree of mana. Things which were considered of greater value, such as the feathers of the 'i'iwi (Vestiaria coccinea) or the Hawai'i mamo (Drepanispacifica), were sacred and kapu. Places such as Kualoa or Ka'ena Point were considered sacred in comparison to other areas of O'ahu. One can imagine the Hawaiian farmer clearing the land with slash and hum techniques in order to plant his more spiritual and higher-valued crops such as taro (Colocmia esculenta), bananas

(Musa sapientum xparadisiaca), and sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas). Undoubtedly, some native lants and things in the forest were not valued as highly and d ~ d not receive t R e same respect. As Kanahele emphasized, the rimal Hawaiian res ected nature but did not share the concept of "reverence

For life" as practiced \ y Hindu or Buddhist reli ions. Early Hawaiians, how- ever, built shrines and heiau (temples) where t ! ey rendered appropriate offerings and prayers to maintain the kapu system and their relationship with the gods.

Kapu a n d Noa (Sacred a n d Profane) The kapu was a regulatory means of protectin the sanctity of the mana in

man and nature and operated effectively to contro 7 the thinking and behavior of the early Hawaiians. It was also used as a conservation measure to protect the over-exploitation of natural resources. The kapu on fishing for 'opelu or mackerel (Decapterus spp.) and a h (bonito tuna, Katsuwonuspelmnir) were in effect during the spawning seasons. Kamehameha I enacted a kapu on the cutting of sandalwood (Santalum spp.) after realizing the trees were being depleted and that his people were in need of food and care. The kapu or sanctity of an object, person, or command could be ended by no longer being forbidden. They then became noa (profane). All thin became noa when Keopuolani (the kapu chiefess) and her son Liholiho &mehameha 11) pub- licly ate together, thus defying thegods and breaking the kapu system.

'Ike fKnowled~el . .. \----- - - - The ancestr~l~awaiians were keen observers of the natural world and

were able to use their intimate knowledge of nature to sail on low-distance voyages and manage the natural resour& of the sea and land forbhing, farmmg, and other uses. Young Hawaiians with obvious interest, capability, and (usually) ties to a family stressing medical lore were trained at an early ane in the art of Hawaiian medicine: thev had to be knowledeeable in the idknt~ficatim and preparation of mcdiciial herbs. The 1111w;11an hotmi~m knew not only the plants they brought with them from anclent I'olyne4a. hut also manv endemic? ulants thit thefencountered as thev travelled from the seashore'to inland arcas at higherhlevations. The birdcatchers were equally knowledgeable about the identitication and behavior of many native birds. Their shelters and artifacts can be found in remote v~llcvs such as Anahulu .

J --: - Speaal schools or halau were established in the arts, crafts, and sciences

and were taueht bvvarious kahuna (~rofessional experts) such as the kahuna lapa'& (Ged~cal doctor), k a h n a hoixrlu (a'gr~c;lt~lrd expert), or kolrima kilokilo (astrologer).

Knowledee or 'ike was unoonant and held sacred. I t w3s also consldcred powerful esp&ially among th; kahuna. 'Ike enahled the earl) Hawa~ians nor only to function and suwtve in their island environment, hut to excel in the11 feaihenvnrk, canoe making, fishpond building, irrigation en ineering, he+

nificant achievements. B construction, and agricultural farming practices--to name a ew of their sig-

'Aim m e Livinp Earth) ~ ~~~ \ - ~ - - p~ ~~~" ~~~, One often hears the saying aloha 'aina, meaning in literal translation,

"love for the land: Its use has been ~0~ulariZed by the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohanamovement and in historical kiounts by Jdhn Wise and others in the

early I'~00s when a puhli.hing cornpan) u u e>tahhshed in upport of thi5 political mwement (Kanshele 1986). Aloha 'sin;! originally may not havc had the 5ame connotation as reverence for the earth and all li\,ing things hut may h x e heen used as a plitriolic wying rne;ming'love for my country." ,\mong 11awahn activists todav this mav mean the return of k~nds, such as Kliho'o- lawe, that were ceded tb the Staie and Federal governments, as well as access to trails in coastal and mountain areas to permit traditional food and plant gatherins and the exercise of Hawaiian religious beliefs in these places.

Kanahele made an interesting observation about the Hawajian perception of 'uinu as a "living thing" comparable to James Lovelock's "Gala Hypothesis," which stated: "the biosphere [ed. emphasis] is a self-regulating entity with the capacity to keep our planet healthy by controlling the chemical and physical environment." The Hawaiian interpretation for 'aina means "that which feeds and provides sustenance." Symbolically, this concept portrays the earth as a mother nursing her young. According to Hawaiian mythology as interpreted in The Kumulipo (creation chant), the cosmic gods Wakea and Papa gave birth to the 'aina and all of its evolutionary forms of life, including humans. The transcendental life force or mana from the gods causes the 'aina to be a living entity.

Lokahi (Unitv. Balance. Harmonv) The ~ a w a h n concepr;)f lokulri i;equivalent to the modern hidogical

concept o i homeostasis in ;in ecosystem. Riological iystemi are dbnarnic. They i r e in constant chanae, reaciinr and adauiina t i natural disiurbances. Nature makes adjustment;tb these changes anid h h g s the ecoivstem hack into a halanced relationship or equilihrium. Early Hawa~ians condered themselves to he Dart of nature. Through their uses of snd interactions u,ith the natural environment, they were alwzys striving to be in a harmonious relationship with what they perceived as their island world. This was exem- plified by their religious practices of chanting, performing hulas that depic- ted nature, and making offerings to the spiritual forces in nature in order to maintain the unity and equilibrium of man with the universe.

Mxr& ~ e l l y 7iW7) outlined four principles ofn,ulunro (c~r ing or stewardship) for the land. In thc principle, Kclly stated that ewryone had the access and right to the resources i n the nhupua'o nit of land ex- tending from mountain areas into the 5ea) in which they lived. The concept o i land ownerrhip was ioreign to the primal I lawniian psyche. The paramount chicfs or uli'i ~inroku c ~ ~ n t r ~ ~ l l e d hut did not own' the land. The nlukrr- 'uinunu (comnion people) uere free to movc from 3hup~a.a to ahuptm'a if thc) uere dissatisi~ed ~ i t h the ruling chiefof the ah~pua 'a i n which they li.,nrl nL".".

The a principle dealt with carin for the land and wa hy using the resources w i d y and not over-ex~loiting $em. There was an unwritten rule that one took inlv what was needed. K ~ a w a i i a n nroverb exoresses this as: 'Hulrui no ku ulr iku rrluluzru - Ksin, aluty, fdlow the iorest:' Thi, means rains are attracted to the forest trees. Knowing this, the Hauaiians felled only the trees that were needed (Pukui 1983).

The third principle referred to sharing uhatcvcr one had with ~omeone In nced. Contemporary Ilawaiians are taught hy their hrpunu ("elders') that

they should always open their homes, even to strangers or one's enemies, and feed the visitors first if they are hunerv.

I h c fourth principle a;lvoc~ted?hat evcryone who ate food frum thc taro garden or fishpond WJS responsihle for the maintenance and care of the land. I t wds thc responsibility of the konulriki (land manager) of the ahupua'a to allocate the use of land for farming and to regulate the irrig~tion systems. He m~naged the work force, ralling upon the maka'ainana to construct fish- ponds or taro terraces and to repair or maintain destroyed facilities. He was also the conservation manager in his enforcement of the kapu on certain species of fishes and plants throughout the seasons.

Archibald Menzies, surgeon and naturalist with Captain George Vancou- ver (1792-1794), provided excellent descriptions of conservation practices, such as field fallowing, lanting sweet potatoes, bananas, and wauke (Broursonetiapapyn'ferap between breadfruit or ulu (Arfocarpur arfili.) trees, and mulching ~ l a n t s in the Kona area field svstem on Hawai'i Island (Tueele 1979). H e aE6 noted the burning ofpili (Heferopogon conforfusj inYc fields on Kaua'i in order to encourage new growth (Kirch 1985).

EARLY HAWAIIAN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

As the early Hawaiian population increased, the land uae expanded frum thc coastal areas into the uplands, with more of the natural resources being exploited. By 1500 A.D. thc Polynesian social sy,tem had hecomc well c\tah- lished, with more distinct class diiferences between the ali'i and maka- 'ainana. Malo (1051) noted that much of the farming, fishing, and construc- tion of temples and other structures was done primarily by the maka'ainana to su~o lv their needs as well as those of the ali'i and their retinue. , , ,

Kelly (1975, 1987) argued that the change, in land ecosystem, by the prehistoric Hawaiians ucrc 'relativelv small, and that there is no evidence of anvwillful. irres~onsible destruction of the environment commited bv the pr;-contact ~a\;aiians." However, contemporary critics and sympathizers of Hawaiian traditions generally agree that pre-contact Hawaiians did have an i m ~ a c t on their environment and chaneed it. This. accordine to S ~ o e h r (1984). is a natural consequence of anygroup of p&ple cornkg ii to virgin ter- ritory and using the natural resources for their subsistence. Human settle- ment im~ac ts k c h as this have occurred with cultures worldwide.

llowever, the question being dehatcd 1s how much impact and change did the prehistoric Hawaiians cause in their natural environment? Kirch (1982) contended that there were major changes in the biological diversity as well as physical land disturbdnces due to upland clearing and burning beforc the coming of \Ve,tcrners. He has good supporting evidence for his conclusion^ from available archaeolo8ic~l and ~aleontoloz~cal research i n llawai'i. He also acknowledged that \vestern a&cultural khnolog! and the introduction of alien species have cau5ed progressively greater change, in island eco- . - . - . systems.

T. Stell Newman (1972) wrote that there were minimal effe~ts from sea exploitation on the Hawaiian marine ecosystem, but that Hawailan farmlng practices resulted in dramatic changes in land ecosystems. He concluded that the Hawaiian and his culture were not separate from nature in Hawai'i hut were part of it and were influenced by the Hawaiian ecosystem.

Hawaiian Cmuervanbn Volues andPhrclims\Bwro~ 208

'[he early Hawaiians did make maximum and efficient use of thcir inshore fiihinggrounds and agricultural fanning areas that extended u to 7 000 f t 1600 m\ in elevation. At the time of contact it was estimated t Eat 1i;-15'2 of ,--- ~~~, -~~ ~ ~

~~ ~~ ~~

the island of Hawai'i, and much less of Gua ' i and Oahu, were under cultiv3- tion. oarticularlv in dwland areas (Tugale 1979). By practicing their cultural d u g s and imoiemenhe the knowled&! and technoloev of a Keolithic so- ~~ ~ ~~

ciety, it can 6 argued &at the prehistoric Hawaiians $re good managers of their fishinr and agricultural lands and used their natural resources wisely. Thev mav not have been conscious of the destruction and chanees in the na- tivekcn+tems that resulted in the extinction of many endemi~plants and animals. Perham theac w r t of ltss value to them, consequently did not have sufficient mana'or sacredness, and were therefore iess revered and were mncidered nnn - . . . .. . . - - . - - . . . . - .

As one might expect. thcrc werc differences in the conservation values and uorkine hchmior nrnonc ore-cunwct Hawaiians. Malo (1951) stated that there were kvo different kinzs'of farmers:

Those who reallv made a business of it and worked until sunset wen called ili-pilo (industrious farmers). Those who kept at it for 0 3 short time and did not do much at it were called ili-helo (unskilled farmers).

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY AND POST-CONTACT INFLUENCES

The conservation of natural areas and the preservation of endangered s ecies are relatively new ideas that were formulated by Western ecolo ists. $ he ~lantation owners and others of Western tradition in the latter ha1 8 . of the 19th'century were unaware of the significance and importance of M a 1 conservation as opposed to fa- concervation. For this reason. eulv post- contact market eEonomv attitudes and oractices caused meat devastation to 1 1awai.i'~ fragile ecosys~ems (we Gill, {his volume).

Differences in conservatwn values and practice, still cxnt today. Somc sements of contemporaw societv are aware of the conseauences of imorooer laid use and poor nianagkment of urban and consewatiui area,. Swnc re: alizr that over-exploitat:on may lead to worldwide dcplct~on of naturdl resources. increasing environmental ~ollution oroblems, and the extinction of endangered specie5;There are exaniples of go'vernmental pulicie, and r e p - lationc for environmental protection and concenwiun. However. the enforcement of these oolicies and the education uf thc eencral ouhlic to these - concerns have been lacking.

Continual and increasmg conflicts occur between competing interest groups who use the land resources for their causes and benefits. Sport hunters would like to have more wild ame in areas that are critical habitats for Endangered species. Private kndowners believe that the best use of the land is in economic develooment. To accommodate all groups, novernment drclarcs that the land and its natural resources should have muliil~le uscs and that tht economic and recreational needs must he in balance with environ- mental concerns. But multiole use does not usuallv result in the preservation of naturdl vdlues. 11wai.i's.natural undeveloped cbasral areai aie becoming scarce. IIawaiian forehts are in danger. Some of these areas may not be able

Hawaiian Conservation Values and Practices \Bunow u)9

to withstand the competing pressures and will cease to exist in their natural state.

COR'TEMPORARY HAWAIIAN OKGANlZATlONS AND CONSKKVATION EIMJCATION COR'CEKNS

The lar e established Hawaiian organizations that serve the Hawaiian community for different political, social, economic, and educational purposes are government agencies such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), and Alu Like; and private trust organizations such as Queen Lili'uokalani Trust/Children's Center and The Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate (KS/BE). Of these Hawaiian orga- nizations, KS/BE controls the most private land and economic resources in the State of Hawai'i. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is next, with a smaller land holding in residential, industrial, and agricultural lands. Other smaller culturally and politically active Hawaiian organizations include the Hawaiian civic clubs, halau hula (hula "schools") groups, Congress of Hawaiians, Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana, advocates for the Hawaiian Nation, and numerous Hawaiian societies.

A large percentage of Hawaiimq havc lo\t their land base. their political and economic po\\ers, and their cultl~ral identitv. Thev have multiplc health, rocicrl. and economic prohlems. 'l'helr immediate need, and rods are ior per- sonal and ethnic survival in a contemoorarv societv. Consemition educadon has not heen an important goal. sin& moit llawiiians have hccome dixn- irunchised from their 'crina and cultural heritage, thcy have not maintained the tradmonq. knowledge. and wiritual \,due\ which thew ancestors hiid for nature. Most v o ~ n ~ l l a a . ; ~ i i > n s have not experienced hiking into thc forest and Icarnin$, ahout Hau,a~ '~ 's varied ccosptema. They, therefore, may not under\tand the need to Drotect the blolo~ical diversity that is unictuc to thc Islands. Beine alienated from the land creates resentiment and feklines that one lacks "owEership" of what was once theirs. This may account in G r t for vandalism and disres~ect for property and life that occurs. If there are any concerns for the 'aina amongyoung Hawaiians, they exist more commonG in terms of restoring traditional rights to gathering of plant products, hunting, and fishing.

Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana The Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana has been the most politicall active r Hawaiian group, working to save the island of Kaho'olawe from urther rnili-

tary damage to archaeological sites and land areas. They have an educational program to take Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians to the Island in order to devel- op their cultural and spiritual values regarding the 'aina. They have encour- aged the elimination of goats (Capra hircus) from the Island and the reforesta- tion of the land with native plants. The 'Ohana has also petitioned agatnst the develooment of eeothermal Dower on the island of Hawai'i. not only because - of proj>ctcd enwronment;~l h n a g c , hut more significantl) hzcause~develop- ment is t l io~~rht s~c r i l e ewu~ 10 the I l i~u; l~i ;~n volcano godde.5 I'ele and her - believers.

Oftice of Hawaiian Affairs and t h e D e ~ a r t r n e n t of Hawaiian Home Lands

~ is ior ica l l~ , the Hawaiian communi has not been a cohesive group. Hawaiian organizations,have differed w&y in their goals and strategies. They have not communicated effectively mth one another, nor to the Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian population at large. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs was established by the State government to address these weaknesses. Its effectiveness has been limited because, as a government agency, it is subject to the control of the State Legislature and lacks independent economic resources to meet the needs of its constituency. Most Hawaliaps and part- Hawaiians have become so well integrated and Westermzed wlthin Hawauan society that they do not share concepts of community and place.

Education programs in conservation and management practices amon rominent Hawaiian organizations have been,limited. The Department o !

Rawaiian Home Lands does not have an explicit conservation p o k y concern- ing lands that are held in public trust, but the Department does conform to State land use and management policies such as the 1974 State Environ- - mental Policy Act.

Hawaiian Home Lands has about 28,000 acres of forest land in Conserva- tion District zones. In recent ears, the Department has enlisted the senices of The Nature Conservancy o Y Hawaii to inventoq' endem]? plant species in selected areas on Maui and O'ahu. Personnel in the planmng and!and man- agement divisions are conscious of the need to use good conservation prac- tices and Hawaiian values regarding the environment. However, there is still a need for further field research and development of a written conservation policy for their lands.

is a ma'or owner of forest land in the State of Hawai'i. The =/BE has more than 8j,000 acres (34,400 ha) in forest conservation lands, more than half of which is located on the island of Hawai'i. Since the 19005, =/BE has been engaged in forestry manage- ment and develo ing the commercial forest potential of its holdings. From 1958 to 1969.1 d ,000 trees were planted on 2,000 acres (810 ha), costing KS/BE over $125,000 (Thompson 1975).

In 1975 the Kilauea-Keauhou Forestry Center, encompassing 3,000 acres (1,210 ha) of the Kilauea Forest and some 2,500 acres (1,010 ha) on the Keauhou Ranch at 5,000 ti (1,520 m) elevation on the island of Hawai'i, was established for the primary purpose of regenerating koa in disturbed forest used as oastore lands. A stated goal Identifies this mssion as "nothing less than to h a n and utilize the koaforests located in these islands: to im~rove .. r-.--p--- ~~~ ~ ~ ~

the cultural and economic lives of the citizens of Hawai'i." ~oining KS/BE (that funded and imdemented the program) were consultants and representa- tives from the U.S. porest Service instiiute of Pacific Islands Forest+, the State Division of Forestry, the University of Hawaii, and the US. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Throu hout the intervening years, increments of 50-acre (20-ha) plots % have been ulldozed and planted in native koa. Between 1977 and 1986, 162,000 nurse grown koa seedlings were planted on 650 acres (260 ha) of 7'- former native orest at Keauhou as well as elsewhere in Ka'uand in Honaunau. In 1984, an additional 1,000 acres (405 ha) at Keauhou Ranch was assigned for koa reforestation, and planting will continue annually to the year

Before entering the forest, students perfnrm a "picking" chant, callmg upon these ancertral spirits for permlsrion to pick the plant,. '[hey then oifer the first woven lei inhonor of the spirits.

Not all halau hula groups or lei makers adhere to these conservation rituals, as is evident h what is worn as adornment on dancers in the ma or hula festivals. Some r orest areas have received pressures on thepalapa/ai (Microtepia ,.rfrigosa), maile (Alyxia olivaefomir), and the liko (newly opened

' leaves, reddish in some species) of 'ohi'a lehua; and on beach vegetation such as kaunaba (Curcula sandwichiana) and hinahina ku kdzakai (Heliofmpium anomaturn). ' h r part of their educaiional program, Monnalua Gxrdcni Foun- dation advisers instruct halau hula panicipanrz on how I I I pick thu liko of 'ohi'a lehua cnnservativeh for their pcrformsnces in the annual Prince Lol Festival.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Destruction and changes to Hawai'i's natural ecosystems have already occurred. Blame should not he placed on any one group, whether it be the prehistoric Hawaiians or the Westerners who followed after the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778. It was largely through ignorance that environmentauy degrading practices occurred. However, today we know better. We dare not make the same mistakes. Citizens of Hawai'i, both Hawaiian and nnn- Hawaiian, must take the best in conservation values and knowledge from both cultures and aoulv them with diligence.

Wc must &'the methodolobj and knowledge of Western science in ecol- om and environmental msndgement to conserve our natural resources, reducc e5vironmental uollution. and-sustain endangered ulant and animal suecies here in Hawai'fand elsewhere. \Ye can use-the lfawaiim conservation values

,n our such as 'lke, Lokahi, 'Aina, Malama, Mana, and Kapu to guide us ' decision-making u hen auei~ions arise in economics, recreation, and land develooment th>t mav have a bearine on critical bioloeical habitats. It is esscntih for modern inan to accept t ie ecologist's and-the primal I lawaiian's views of nature and life: that man is ncither apart from nor a conqueror of nature, but is one with nature and the divine force or mana that permeates the universe.

In recent years the Hawaiian renaissance movement has been reawaken- ing Hawaiians to the power and richness of their culture. Hawaiian organiza- tions in both the government and private sectors have established ro rams to accommodate the social, economic, educational, and cultural nee 2 s o ! Hawaiians. These agencies must a h consider the conservation and preserva- tion needs of critical ecosystems on the lands which they hold in trust. For example. the Kamehameh:! Schools/Bishou Estate should evaluate conserva- tion lands under its stewardship for the biological and archaeological resource

otential that they might have for scientific research and education. These Lnds can he set aside inperpetuity, similar to nature reserves administered by The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, the National ark Service, and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

B The cultural, ecoloeical. and educational values that some areas possess

may he greater than thhecnnnmic value that may he derived through'real es- tate or commercial development. Land that still retains remnants of the prl- ma1 past is a pricelers biolugical heritage to preserve and treasure. The

educ:tt~on of Hawaiian youth and decision-makers toward these conservation \slue\ and management must b e emphasized a t all levels of modern society a n d continually supported by Hawailan organizations. This is their legacy.

Important References

Beckwith, M. 1940. Hawaiian Mythology. Folklore Foundation of Vassar College. Yale Univ. Prcss, New Haven, Connecticut.

Fosberg, F.R. 1963. Disturbance in island ecosystems. Fp. 557-561 IN J.L. Gressitt (ed.), Pacijic Basin Blogeogmphy--A Symposium. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.

Gill, L.T. [this volume] Perspectives on environmental education in Hawaii. Kanahele, G.S. 1986. Ku Kanakn: Sfand Tall--A Search forHawaiion Values. Univ. Hawaii

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