THE HISTORY OF CENSUS IN HAWAI`I

THE HISTORY OF CENSUS IN HAWAI`I
By Momi Imaikalani Fernandez; Edited by Shannon K. K. Lincoln

The counting of people or taking a census has been part of this `āina from the earliest of historical accounts. Our ancestors planned survival by way of food provision in canoes and food production on land and pond which made it necessary to count the people and plan the use of resources. For the next several months, we’ll be looking at census in Hawai`i in preparation for Census 2010. Our ancestors demonstrated a variety of ways to conduct census for various reasons. Census or to take a census, according to Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel H. Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary, is helu, helu kanaka or census taker, luna helu. The act of census is the definition.
The most common and practical reason to count people was for food production. How much kalo in a lo`i times how many lo`i needed to be planted in order to feed those living in an `ili, ahupua`a, moku and beyond.

An accurate census on Moloka`i was necessary as early as 500-800 A.D. as told by the late Kumu John W. Ka`imikaua in A Mau A Mau (produced by Nalani Minton, 2000). Moloka`i was known as the “bread basket” of the island chain because it was capable of supporting its own population and beyond to neighbor islands. In summary, the residents were neither rich nor poor, everyone had equal provision, all had shelter, and clothing through the `Aha process. For 700 years the `Aha councils were intact, 16 generations passed with no knowledge of war among the people, decision making remained within each boundary. The practitioners made up the `Aha councils whose kuleana it was to mālama the land, resources and its people. The wealth of the land identified its people. This is an early application of census at its best.

Fish ponds are another resource developed to provide food for a population, a census of sorts because if one knows the capacity of a fish pond, they know the population it can feed and/or if one knows the population, one may calculate how many fish and how large the pond needs to be. The first fish pond on Moloka`i, Kahinaloaloa, was acknowledged for the complete organization and cooperation it took by the passing of stones from person-to-person to construct its walls. The wealth of the land was based on the amount of food it could produce. Moloka`i was bountiful from land and pond while maintaining an accurate census of its people.

The upcoming Census 2010 is important to Native Hawaiians and Hawai’i residents alike. Did you know that the Federal government uses the census survey to disperse a maximum $430 billion federal dollars a year for the next ten years? By participating in Census 2010, we will be giving Hawai`i a voice as to how much money Hawai`i receives for vital services we all need such as health, education, welfare, transportation, roadways, schools, libraries, and funding through grants. Census data also determines how much money is available for emergency preparedness and disaster recovery. Through much advocacy we have been able to help shape the way in which census is taken, compiled, and organized. That acknowledgment was seen in 2000 when the Native Hawaiian race category was added for the first time to the survey.

Prior to 2000, we were categorized with other Pacific Islanders and Asian. Through the diligence and perseverance of many, we have been able to accomplish a race category specifically for Native Hawaiians. With our consistent influence and full participation, we can model a census process, results and application like that of our Kūpuna. Nāu Ke Kuleana.