Fish Pond: Loko Pu'uone

Loko Pu'uone

•There were two different Pu’uone.
• small Pu’uones owned by commoners that needed little maintenance and construction.
•large pu’uones owned by the ali’is that required considerable effort both in their construction and maintenance.
•Women had the power over this fishpond, but they could give permission to men. The men couldn’t touch it without permission from the women.
•According to Hawaiian belief, the seawater helped the fish grow bigger and better fish, they also need to salt water to survive.
•The fishpond was used to have a constant supply of fish, in one small area that was easy to harvest.
•The Loko Pu’uone is usually found not far from the ocean.
•The location usually have a pathway going from the pond to the ocean.

Construction of a small pu’uone was not as hard as the loko kuapa. Building of small and big ones, were very alike.
•The pond was usually at the site of a natural basin or a depression near the seashore.
•Plants and weeds were cleared, and they dug into the mud, until it was as deep as they wanted it. The mud that had been dug up was then used to form wall.
•The ’auwai kai ran from the pond to the sea. If a stream connected the loko to the sea, the stream they made it wider so that the salt water could enter the pond faster.
•Fish were initially stocked by transporting them from the ocean to the pond.

Species