Historic Hawaiian District Signs around Maui

1/6/2025 #kihei #southmaui #history #hawaiianculture

The sign in this posting signifies the boundary of the ahupua’a of Waiakoa in the moku of Kula.

South Maui spans portions of four moku: Wailuku, Kula, Honuaʻula and Lahaina. Each moku in South Maui encompasses key biocultural resources (fish, birds, and plants) and valuable ecosystems, such as wetlands, coastal dunes and native dryland forests. Within these moku, there are 25 ahupuaʻa which extend from Ukumehame in Māʻalaea to Kanaio in ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu. The ahupuaʻa originate from the leeward slopes of Haleakalā (apart from Ukumehame and Waikapū stemming from Kahālāwai) and extend into the ocean to include offshore fishing grounds.

Ahupua’a is defined as a land division usually extending from the uplands to the sea, so called because the boundary was marked by a heap (ahu) of stones surmounted by an image of a pig (puaʻa), or because a pig or other tribute was laid on the altar as tax to the chief. The landlord or owner of an ahupuaʻa might be a konohiki.

Moku is defined as a district or section