By Kainalu Steward
Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina began as a burst of hot magma rising from the depths of Kanaloa, forming massive, revered mountains such as Maunakea. Over time, these mountains slowly subside as the papakū (seafloor) cools, while fringing koʻa (coral) grow upward towards the sun, forming a lei-shaped reef that encircles each island’s perimeter.
These reefs nourish coastlines for generations and eventually give rise to low-lying reef islands – until they return to Pō (ancestral realm; deep darkness) as mauna kai (seamounts), having lived for millions of years.
This moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy) of island evolution reminds us why this sea of low-lying coral atolls, sandy shoals, jagged basalt islands, and underwater seamounts scattered across Papahānaumokuākea are respected and honored as ʻāina kupuna (ancestral islands).
As one journeys into Papahānaumokuākea, Lalo (French Frigate Shoals) is the first coral atoll greeted after passing the sheer cliffs of Nīhoa and Mokumanamana. It also serves as an indicator of how islands beyond Lalo transition to mostly low, broad reef islands with shallow lagoons.
Lalo produces one of the most diverse and complex reef communities, forming a crest that shelters multiple sandy islands. The formation of these islands is highly dependent on adjacent reefs that have eroded over the past few thousand years as sea levels shifted and waves shaped their shores – processes that both nourish and diminish sand.
Despite these sandy islands’ limited area and low elevation, Lalo serves as a central nesting site for more than 90% of our honu (Hawaiian green sea turtle) population and is a favored habitat for foraging ʻīlioholoikauaua (monk seals) and thousands of seabirds.
In October 2018, Walaka, one of the largest hurricanes developed in the Central Pacific, tore through Lalo as a Category 3 storm, bringing powerful winds and damaging swells.
This event brought headline attention from around the world to Lalo, as islands nearly vanished overnight, testing its resilience. However, the dynamic nature and reshaping patterns of Lalo are reflected within its various inoa ʻāina (place names), including Lalo-iho (lower Lalo), Lalo-aʻe (upper Lalo), Lalo-hele (continuous Lalo), Lalo-kona (leeward or southern Lalo), and Lalo-hoʻāniani (reflective Lalo).
Initially documented in 1835 by Kaiaikawaha, a Lahainaluna scholar, and later resurfaced through the extensive research of Dr. Kekuewa Kikiloi, these inoa ʻāina acknowledge Lalo’s natural cycles of disappearing into Pō and re-emerging into Ao (light) as intrinsic to its identity as an ʻāina kūpuna.
In 2021, I had the privilege to visit Lalo for the first time. This journey was especially meaningful, as it was shared with an ʻohana of fellow Kānaka ʻŌiwi ocean scientists, resource managers, and community members.
The voyage was led by Dr. Haunani Kāne to reconnect with and learn from Lalo. It also marked a pivotal moment, as this was the first research cruise led entirely by a Kānaka ʻŌiwi crew. It was a life-changing experience that planted seeds of inspiration and lessons that fuel me today. To learn more about our huakaʻi, visit arcg.is/D0Ciu.
He pūkoʻa kani ʻāina…a mau loa aku!
Kainalu Steward is originally from Lahaina, Maui. He is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, studying reef island resilience at Lalo. His research aims to map seasonal shoreline dynamics and oceanic conditions that influence island change, to support stewardship at Lalo. Kainalu attributes his ʻohana, community, mentors, and ʻāina for inspiring and shaping this collective work.
