Historical Perspectives on Sustainability in Hawai'i

Prior to the arrival of European explorers in 1778 the people of Hawai`i had developed an elaborate system of land management that had allowed them to achieve a high degree of sustainability. Historical and ethnographic narratives suggest that as early as the 12th or 13th century Hawaiians established a form of land division, known as ahupua’a, which effectively managed resources from the summit of the mountain, beyond the reef and into the deep ocean. While Hawai`i remains susceptible to natural disturbances, particularly drought, tsunami and tropical storms, the careful management of natural resources, and the strong relationships this management style fostered, contributed to the flourishing of Hawaiian culture prior to the arrival of Europeans in the late 18th. The arrival of Europeans initiated an era of dramatic social, political and environmental change, including a steep decline in population from introduced foreign diseases, and the shift from a subsistence to a market economy. The shift in economic livelihood, particularly the cascading impacts of deforestation for the Sandalwood (Santalum spp.) trade. By the mid-20th century, Hawai’i relied almost exclusively on imports from beyond the archipelago. By the early 1970’s the Hawaiian cultural renaissance had gained substantial momentum to address some of the political injustices the Hawaiian people had endured. However, another narrative in the Hawaiian cultural renaissance focused on reviving traditional values and practices that, while supporting a reclamation of Hawaiian culture, also contribute to the promotion of archipelago-wide sustainability. This discussion will focus on the traditional values and practices that promoted a self-reliant and largely sustainable pre-contact Hawai`i, the historical circumstances that led to its loss, and the measures the people of Hawai`i are taking to reclaim both their culture and sustainability.