Kahaluu Taro Lo'i
Encyclopedia
The Kahaluu Taro Loi Historic District, also known as the Āhuimanu Taro Complex, in Kahaluu on the windward side of Oʻahu
, is the most complex and largest intact system of terraces for growing wetland
taro
on Oʻahu
. It contains at least 18 loi (pondfield) terraces once watered by Āhuimanu Stream and associated auwai (irrigation
ditches) over about 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) that start from headwaters just below the cliffs of the Koolau Range
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973, after windward residents raised concerns about development plans in the area. The Kahaluu Fish Pond
was also added to the National Register at that time.
The terraces are roughly rectangular in shape and average 5 by 10 meters in size, with front facings of stacked stone ranging up to 2 meters or more in height. The pondfields have all been silt
ed in and are often obscured by heavy overgrowth of hau, mango
, and guava
trees, but they have withstood many generations of heavy rainfall on steeply sloping hillsides, in silent testimony to ancient Hawaiian expertise in irrigation and flood control
. In 1973, a University of Hawaii
archaeology
program field school excavate
d soil
profiles from the terraces, and the site was cleared during the 1980s, but the State of Hawaii Historic Preservation Division is now seeking community organizations willing to clear the site and make it operational again.
The site is owned by Temple Valley Corp., which has continued to develop new house
s around it. At the time of the NRHP nomination, the Historic District was said to lie 900 meters west of the west end of Hui Kelu Street and to be accessible via an abandoned jeep
road. Even as late as July 1996, a hiker described returning via the jeep road. But Hui Kelu Street has since been extended across Āhuimanu Stream, where the hiking trail begins, and the lower portion of the jeep road is now Heno Place.
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, is the most complex and largest intact system of terraces for growing wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
taro
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
on Oʻahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. It contains at least 18 loi (pondfield) terraces once watered by Āhuimanu Stream and associated auwai (irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
ditches) over about 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) that start from headwaters just below the cliffs of the Koolau Range
Koolau Range
Koolau Range is a name given to the fragmented remnant of the eastern or windward shield volcano of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It is not a mountain range in the normal sense, because it was formed as a single mountain called Koolau Volcano...
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973, after windward residents raised concerns about development plans in the area. The Kahaluu Fish Pond
Kahaluu Fish Pond
Kahaluu Fishpond, historically known as Kahouna Fishpond, on Kāneohe Bay in windward Oʻahu, is one of only four surviving ancient Hawaiian fishponds on Oahu that were still in use well into the 20th century. In the previous century there were at least 100 such fishponds around the island...
was also added to the National Register at that time.
The terraces are roughly rectangular in shape and average 5 by 10 meters in size, with front facings of stacked stone ranging up to 2 meters or more in height. The pondfields have all been silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
ed in and are often obscured by heavy overgrowth of hau, mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
, and guava
Guava
Guavas are plants in the myrtle family genus Psidium , which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America...
trees, but they have withstood many generations of heavy rainfall on steeply sloping hillsides, in silent testimony to ancient Hawaiian expertise in irrigation and flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
. In 1973, a University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
program field school excavate
Excavate
The excavates are a major kingdom of unicellular eukaryotes, often known as Excavata. The phylogenetic category Excavata, proposed by Cavalier-Smith in 2002, contains a variety of free-living and symbiotic forms, and also includes some important parasites of humans.-Characteristics:Many excavates...
d soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
profiles from the terraces, and the site was cleared during the 1980s, but the State of Hawaii Historic Preservation Division is now seeking community organizations willing to clear the site and make it operational again.
The site is owned by Temple Valley Corp., which has continued to develop new house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
s around it. At the time of the NRHP nomination, the Historic District was said to lie 900 meters west of the west end of Hui Kelu Street and to be accessible via an abandoned jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
road. Even as late as July 1996, a hiker described returning via the jeep road. But Hui Kelu Street has since been extended across Āhuimanu Stream, where the hiking trail begins, and the lower portion of the jeep road is now Heno Place.