Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 10, 1 October 1997 — New Book Details Molokaʻi Fishponds [ARTICLE]
New Book Details Molokaʻi Fishponds
Joseph M. Farber's "Ancient Hawaiian Fishponds: Can Restoration Succeed on Moloka 'i?" is an account of the evolution, decline and renaissance of its subject. The new book provides a general introduction to Hawaiian fishponds, their role in pre-contact Hawai'i, their abandonment in the context of the social and eeonomie changes brought about after Captain Cook's arrival in 1778, and the current grass-roots struggle of loeal eommunities to restore these impressive aquacultural devices. As the author emphasizes, "The fishponds are cultural treasures - they embody an important spiritual, cultural and historical link with the past and must be saved." The book is available at loeal bookstores.