Hawaiian Fishing TraditionsHawaiian Fishing Traditions celebrates the great fishers of ancient Hawai'i, known for attracting and propagating fish, inventing fishing techniques, and bringing in extraordinary catches. The most famous of these fishers was Kû'ula-kai, who became deified as an 'aumakua (god) of fishing because of his power to control fish. He built a fishpond in Hâna to keep the ali'i and the people continuously supplied with seafood. His son 'Ai'ai continued his father's good work by locating offshore fishing grounds called ko'a, teaching people how to catch fish, and telling them to practice conservation and to distribute the catch generously. He estabished fishing shrines, also called ko'a, and told fishers to offer the first fish to his father and mother as thanks-giving, to insure a good supply, and to lift the kapu on the catch and free it for consumption. |
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Common terms and phrases
Ai'ai akua ali'i aumakua bait basket beach Bishop Museum bones called canoe catch cave chief child coconut cowry deep dive father fathoms long feet fisherman fishing grounds fishponds Fornander gods gourd Hāna Haumea Hawai'i Hawaiian Hawaiian Fisheries he'e head fisherman Hina hina'i Hinale hīnālea Honolulu hook and line husband island Ka Lae Kaho'olawe kahu Kai'ale Kai‘ale‘ale kala Kalamainu'u Kamaikaahui Kamakau Kamapua'a Kamohoali'i kapu Kaua'i kill kind of fishing ko'a Kohala koʻa Kona Kū‘ula Kūʻula kupua Lana'i land Lehoʻula Leimakani lived lobster lure manō Maui mo'o Moloka'i mother mouth Nanaue nets Nihooleki O'ahu o'opu octopus Oʻahu ōpae paddle paddlers palani Pele ponds puhi Pukui Puna'aikoa'e Punia Puniaiki reef returned rock ropes shark shell shore spear sticks stone story supernatural told upena uplands Wai'anae Waipi'o Walinu'u wife woman worshiped