Konohiki Noa is an Art Initiative
The combination of the names, Konohiki and Noa are symbolic of their meaning in hawaiian culture.
“Noa,” in the Hawaiian Language, is a sacred word that represents both freedom, and the common people/person. Also the name of the artist/fisherman behind this work.
“Konohiki,” in ancient Hawaii, is the title given to an individual in a community, who takes on the responsibility of observing, understanding, and managing the resources of a specific geographic area (Ahupua’a). The Ahupua’a system of land division was a self sustaining system that allowed the hawaiian people to live in harmony and abundance, without the need of resources beyond each boundary marker. Each division of land, extended from mountain top, to outer sea floor allowing for individuals to specialize in their own areas of expertise, providing a successful system for trade and cooperation . It was the important roll of the Konohiki to ensure sustainability and regenerative balance for all within.
Together, “Konohiki Noa” invites our curiosity as individuals, to observe our resources through the lens of the Konohiki. To engage with the environment around us with a purpose and an awareness of responsibility. To empower us to think before we act on what it is we take, for every action has a reaction, and every movement leaves a wake.
Glancing at this scene above, one might notice a variety of fish swimming together along a reef. Looking deeper, One could identify the varieties, sizes, and quantities. By observing the health of the reef and the eating habits of these fish varieties, one could make an educated guess about the impacts each fish has on that particular environment.
With these observations in mind, one could become aware of the balance within the scene and whether or not there is an imbalance that could use some human support, or an abundance that could use some pruning.
Its simple observations like this that allow us as fisherman to make positive change in the ecosystems we enter.
Through my observations I have become aware of a purpose we have as fisherman that is much like the purpose of a person on land who tends to a garden. Life will exist on its own, but a good gardener finds a way to support life to flourish. Plants and Fish are similar in the sense that they all have a place in the ecosystem. With that thought in mind, a healthy reef, or a healthy forest is determined by its Bio-diversity. We all need each other to succeed, including the trees in the breeze and the fish in the seas. By observing our environment and the life within it, we can make calculated decisions on the plants we pick, and the fish we stick.
KILO: (Hawaiian Definition) to watch closely, examine, look around, observe, forecast.
