Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 2010 — Census in Hawaiʻi What will your 'stone' look like? [ARTICLE]

Census in Hawaiʻi What will your 'stone' look like?

By Momi Imaikalani Fernandez This month we'll review the successful and creative accomplishments that exemplify census taking by 'Umi-a-Liloa. Often referred to as " 'Umi" born in Waipi'o Valley on the island of Hawai'i, his reign during the 1500s set a high standard of achievement in many areas of his personal development to govemance. 'Umi's life preceded Kamehameha's birth (1758) by more than two centuries. Raised as a commoner, he never forgot his humhle roots. He relied on acquired survival skills, observation and familiarity of his environment, acceptance of strategic advice to heeome victorious in battle, and proficiency in order to emerge a leader in spite of mulhple obstacles. Physical examples of his legacy are still seen today throughout the uplands and between the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualālai. Ahu a 'Umi, or Plain of Numbering, as older Hawaiians still refer to it, 'Umi's heiau and 'Umi's Road, whieh has been reduced to a "path" extending to South Kona and Ka'ū, are still traversed by the adventurous today. He was a visionary who took his kuleana seriously to mālama his people and provided for future generations. His ability to relate to commoners and nobility alike made him a respected ruler of his time, producing many descendants. In the previous "Census in

Hawai'i" articles, examples of census taking from Moloka'i and Kaua'i were given. This article is a tribute to 'Umi, who applied simple ingenuity to count the population and provide a "living" record by ahupua'a or district. 'Umi directed that all residents bring a stone representing their strength and/or size. Residents complied, bringing a stone that represented eaeh family member. Eaeh stone was placed in a stone pile (Ellis' description). Alexander described pyramids with detailed dimensions that represent eaeh resident's district. Bingham, whose account was seven years after Ellis' tour of Hawai'i, gives the reader measurements and estimates that are so convincing that a site visit must have been conducted. Bingham recognized eight pyramids; some referred to them as columns based on the amount of deterioration and century the site was observed. Baker (1916) describes huge stonepile memorials around the heiau (temple), one for eaeh district. Thus the piles showed the relative size of the population of the districts. This census is unique because eaeh stone represented the person, by size, stature and sometimes by kuleana. Babies were represented by pebbles, keiki by small stones, 'ōpio a little larger, makua still larger, kupuna would be according to strength, and warrior stones were the largest. Kona was the largest district and had the largest stones relative to the largest and numerous

warriors. This heeame important when 'Umi needed to assemble warriors to defend his moku when Maui warriors crossed the ehannel to battle. 'Umi's warriors were able to defeat the Maui forces before they set foot on land. How would 'Umi provide or mālama this population? The age categories relative to stone size gave 'Umi information to plan expanded food production by increasing lo'i and other agricultural crops. He directed expansion of transportation routes to move the food and supplies expeditiously, and he increased access to water resources for people and agricultural needs. Communication routes grew as messengers increased and populations were moved from harms way to avoid natural disasters when threatened. 'Umi not only provided and protected his residents, he also exercised what we know today as emergency preparedness and emergency relief efforts. Work force by age determinates were recognized, skill level for productivity was later determined by 'Umi's advisers and labor-intensive projects were completed because the people complied by bringing a stone. What will your "stone" look like when the Census 2010 survey is completed for your hale? Your eomplianee will assist all of Hawai'i's populahon to benefit in the same way that 'Umi provided for the population during his reign. The Census 2010 survey is a representation of eaeh person just as 'Umi's request for eaeh person to bring a stone. Take it from 'Umi, Nāu ke kuleana! ■ Momi Imaikalani Femandez is the director ofthe Data and Infonnation/ Census Information Center at Papa OlaLōkahi, aNative Hawaiian heallh nonprofit. Shannon K.K. Lineoln, MBA, Hawai'i Isīand, contributed editing. Hiis is the third in a series on the history ofcensus in Hawai'i, \eading up to Census 2010.

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^United States Census 2010

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