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Of the cultural resources we have inherited from the past, it is the knowledge, traditions, songs and stories shared by people of today that give life to the Haleakala landscape. Native Hawaiians have lived with and malama (cared for) the land now part of Haleakala National Park for over 1200 years. Important cultural places and sites are found within the Summit and Kipahulu areas and are spoken of in numerous Hawaiian mele (songs/chants) and legends. Traditionally, Native Hawaiians divided the land into triangle-shaped sections, ahupua'a, that generally stretched from the mountain to the sea - thereby providing all the people of the ahupua'a the resources they needed to sustain life. Hawaiians used and preserved these resources by practicing malama 'aina (caring for the land), using what was needed for sustenance and observing natural growing, fishing and harvesting cycles throughout the year.
Today, Haleakala National Park preserves several traditional ahupua'a within its boundaries and those same resources are conserved through another tradition - the mission of the National Park Service. Native Hawaiians on staff and in partnership with park staff work together to unite these traditions in active park management - malama i ka 'aina.
For Native Hawaiians working with the National Park Service, the job of resource conservation, restoration and education is more than simply a job - it is a way to keep their culture alive in the land of their ancestors. To read the thoughts of park staff on their role at Haleakala National Park, click on their photos.
Click on a photo of park staff to read their manao
(ideas) on working at Haleakala National Park.
The Hawaii Natural History Association (HNHA) is a cooperating
association working within the park. The HNHA provides visitor services
through staffing of interpretive and educational programs and visitor
center operations, sale of educational material and contribution of funds
to the park's interpretive program. HNHA staff are a vital link in the
chain of public interpretation in Haleakala National Park.
Click
on a photo of these park partners to read their manao (ideas) on
working in Haleakala National Park.
Employees from the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH),
in partnership with Haleakala National Park and the U.S. Geological Survey,
work together to encourage and conduct scientific research of mutual benefit.
The partnership has produced years of scientific monitoring of the park's
native and endangered flora and fauna, miles of constructed fenceline
to protect them, and educational programs to teach the next generation
of scientists how to protect natural resources for the future.
Click on a photo of park cooperators
to read their manao (ideas) on working in Haleakala National Park.
The Kipahulu 'Ohana is a nonprofit group of Native Hawaiians from Kipahulu, Maui, who are dedicated to "educating residents and visitors of the 'ways of old' through cultural demonstrations and hands-on activities." Haleakala National Park and the Kipahulu 'Ohana entered into a Cooperative Agreement in 1995, formally recognizing their partnership to provide a living example of Hawaiian culture within the park. To date, the 'Ohana has brought 14 ancient lo'i (taro patches) back into cultivation within the park and provides public tours of the lo'i.
Click on this photo of a park partner
to read their manao (ideas) on working at Haleakala National Park.