‘Alamihi Fishpond

‘Alamihi Fishpond Mala, Lahaina Maui.

‘Alamihi (Alanuhi) Fishpond, was a functional and presumably productive fishpond up until the 1950’s It has many historical connections, archeological sites, and burials. This Fishpond gradually became smaller due to the dewatering caused by the diversion of the Kahoma streams and other headwaters for sugar cane farming. The site was eventually filled, and a road was built over it. Today, sadly, it lies underneath a parking lot. 

Kikuchi (1973:256) refers to the pond along Kahoma Stream as Alanuhi [sic]. He classifies it as a loko pu’uone (his Type II): “an isolated shore fishpond usually formed by the development of barrier beaches building a single elongated sand ridge parallel to the coast and containing one or more sluice grates” (Kikuchi, 1973:228).

Previous investigators had been aware of the presence of a possible fishpond extending south from the south bank of Kahoma Stream. The pond is now known as ‘Alamihi. The pond may have been used at least until 1953 when the Territory granted a permit to Shizuko Suehiro to use the pond (Joerger and Kaschko 1979:10).

In the later 1920s, 13,400 cubic yards of fill material was added to the pond as part of a public works improvement project to the Mala Wharf area (Joerger and Kaschko 1979:10). Though it is unclear exactly where this material was put, it is probable that the area filled lies along the existing access road to Mala Wharf. This road was built through the middle of the fishpond.

• The following table lists the area of the pond as measured by various observers during the last 70 years:

(Source: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA128335.pdf)

1942 Geologic Map showing ‘Alanuhi Fishpond (with road across it)

Alamihi-Fishpond-Mala-Lahaina-GIS

‘Alamihi-Fishpond-Today is underneath a parking lot at Mala Wharf. It still has much history to share, and there are many archeological sites and burials in this area.  ‘Alamihi Fishpond’s association with historical figures such as David Malo, makes it a candidate for further study and for possible inclusion in the registry of Historical sites.

Further Reading: ARCHAEOLOGICAL TEST EXCAVATIONS NEAR THE MOUTH
OF KAHOMA STREAM, LAHAINA, MAUI, by Hamilton M. Ahio, Jr. and Maurice E. Morgenstein: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA128335.pdf