Back to the Loko
Back to the Loko is a film directed by Ricky-Thomas Serikawa, featured in the Made in Hawaiʻi awards at the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (HIFF). It highlights the cultural, ecological, and, for many, deeply personal restoration of traditional Hawaiian fishponds (loko iʻa). These sites, once numbering over 400, are being revitalized by community groups to restore food security and honor ancestral practices.
Watch the trailer
Full Episode
This video is an effort to inform Hawaiʻi’s communities of an organically formed pilot project that occurred in 2024 among partners including Waiʻanae High School, Hui Hoʻoleimaluō, and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant. The project aimed to address the needs of lawaiʻa (fishermen and women) and kiaʻi loko (fishpond practitioners) to increase stock of the striped mullet fish, or ʻamaʻama, as itʻs known in Hawaiian culture. There have been numerous studies done in the past with regards to ʻamaʻama stocking led by various organizations including the local community, non-profits, and government agencies which this project intended to build upon. These efforts remind us that despite ongoing challenges, the weaving of traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches offers unique working and learning opportunities not just for the benefit of the pua ‘ama (juvenile ’ama’ama), but also for the pua (offspring) of the Hawaiian people. Mahalo to the many people and organizations who have come before us in this work. Hawai’i Sea Grant is honored to work alongside the many amazing communities. Directed, filmed and edited by Ricky-Thomas Serikawa