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Terraces of Limahuli Valley

Posted: November 16, 2007

On the north shore of Kauai in Haena, the ancient Hawaiians built an amazing series of terraced loi kalo (taro patches) within the confines of Limahuli Valley.  The rock walls and terraces had fallen into disrepair for many years, but have since been restored and are now fully functional.  Water flows from one level of terraces to the next and kalo (taro) thrives within Limahuli once again. 

“Pohaku O Makana”, the large boulder in the foreground, guards the entrance to the valley at sunrise as Mauna Puluo, the spire at the top of the mountains overlooking Limahuli, watches from above.  “Limahuli” means “turning hands”, a reference to the planting and cultivation of kalo.

A system of auwai (irrigation ditches) diverts water from Limahuli Stream to provide life-giving waters to the terraced loi which have been planted with different varieties of kalo.  Over 300 named varieties of kalo were grown by the Hawaiians of which only 84 survive today.  

An incredibly red dragonfly, “pinao ula” in Hawaiian, rests on a kalo leaf growing in the loi kalo of Limahuli. 

Many thanks to the Wichman family who donated Limahuli Valley to the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) and to NTBG for restoring the valley and opening Limahuli Garden to the public.