Why “Mauka to Makai”

mauka = towards the mountains
makai = towards the sea

These terms are often used when giving directions on the islands with the mountains being interior and the sea exterior (obviously); for example “take the mauka-bound road.” In my case, I’m referring to my journey from the mountains of Colorado to the ocean of Hawaii.

However, there’s also a deeper meaning. When Hawaiians say “mauka to makai” as a phrase, they are referring to the practices and mindset that connects the mountains and uplands to the ocean, teaching that everything is interdependent and connected.

If you are a visitor here and you drive around the island, you may see road markers which look like a pig’s head on a heap of stones. These markers delineate ahupua’a which were land divisions used in pre-Colonization times. Ahupua’a extended from the mountains to the sea and included complete watershed and marine resources so that each tribe would have everything they needed to cultivate and live off the land. The Hawaiians have a deep respect for and seek harmony with nature in all of their practices. This is often represented in the terms “mālama ‘āina” (respect/honor for the land) and “aloha ‘aina” (love for the land and all things Hawaiian).

I audited a Hawaiian studies class last year with my son which broadened my understanding and respect for the culture here. I do not want to be an outsider this year (the dreaded “haole”). I seek connection to this land and its people and intend to embrace “mauka to makai” in my day-to-day living.