M - Kahikina House Site

John Kahikina was an expert octopus fisherman.

NPS

Quick Facts

Location:

Ala Kahakai NHT / 1871 Trail

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Ua ola no kai ia ka – Life comes from the sea

The Kahikina family that lived at this house site were the last to move from the village in the 1930s, possibly due to their close connection to the ocean resources. They were fisherman.

Like many Kiʻilae residents, fishing was essential for survival, but it was hard work. Most fishing gear was handmade, including the wooden canoes used to access the coastal waters. Fisherman, like the Kahikinas, would fish for ʻōpelu (mackerel scad) as well as ahi (tuna) if two people were available to haul the large fish aboard. Fisherman would often feed the fish, banging on the outside of their canoe beforehand to alert the fish. The fish would then gather, and a large catch could easily be achieved. These fish were a major source of income for members of the community. Fresh fish were sold by girls door-to-door before school and any fish leftover could be dried and sold to stores.

John Kahikina, one of the last to leave Kiʻilae, was an expert octopus fisherman. To see below the surface of the water when he was fishing, he would chew kukui nuts and then spit them in the water. The oil from the kukui nuts would create a make-shift window to the depths, allowing him to drop his lure on top of the octopus and quickly pull it up.

However, as times begain to change, the traditional way of living could no longer sustain the remaining Kahikinas and as Frances Jackson states in his report on Kiʻilae Village,

“John Kahikina explained, there was “Nothing to do, no work.” The coastal waters still could be fished, the kula gardens were there, but the economy had changed; a money-making job was almost a necessity.”