Tide and Current

Tide and Current: Fishponds of Hawaii chronicles ten years in the life of author and artist Carol Araki Wyban, during which she lived with, learned about, and came to love the fishponds of Hawaii. In lyric prose and art, the book captures the essence of the timeless ecological truths she discovered. The author relates her experiences from the viewpoint of an entrepreneur, but one with a deep commitment to the past and to the legacy given us by the ancient Hawaiians regarding the use of fishponds as food production systems. Unlike other native cultures that hunted and gathered over vast territories, the Hawaiians early on developed renewable, sustainable, and comprehensive management of their natural resources in the limited space of small islands. They were innovators who took a great step from catching fish to raising fish. With drawings and photographs, tables and graphs, Wyban presents not only the daily routine of life at a commercial fishpond, but also an in-depth look at how the Hawaiians of yore managed their resources, the technology they developed through need, and the myths, legends, and kapu associated with the fishponds. Their inventiveness has important implications for us today and for nurturing future generations.