Agricultural Terraces

Waimea Valley was once a thriving center of agriculture, shaped by extensive terraces and stone walls built to support crops and carefully guide the flow of water. Many of these terraces can still be seen throughout the valley today. In Hawaiian, māla means “garden,” and loʻi refers to an “irrigated terrace.” Traditional Hawaiian farming focused on kalo, or taro, the staple crop used to make poi. Mahiʻai—Hawaiian farmers—planted and harvested by hand, using their feet, skill, and an essential tool called the ʻōʻō to dig planting holes and remove weeds. They engineered sophisticated irrigation systems that carried fresh water through their fields, sustaining both the crops and the land. This work was guided by the values of e ola pono—living in balance—and aloha ʻāina, a deep love and respect for the land.