Kō: An Ethnobotanical Guide to Hawaiian Sugarcane Varieties
When we think about sugarcane and sugarcane fields in Hawaiʻi, we locals tend to imagine a “back-in-the-day” plantation-era setting. According to expert researcher, Dr. Noa Lincoln, and reflected in his publication of Kō: An Ethnobotanical Guide to Hawaiian Sugarcane Varieties, we should look even further back to remember that for a thousand years prior, “Native Hawaiians cultivated sugarcane extensively in a broad range of ecosystems using diverse agricultural systems and developed dozens of native varieties of kō (Hawaiian sugarcane).” In fact, “sugarcane played a vital role in the culture and livelihood of Native Hawaiians, as it did for many other Indigenous peoples across the Pacific.”
Credit: Dr. Noa Lincoln
Noa Lincoln is an associate research professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in the Department of Tropical Plants and Soil Sciences. He is Native Hawaiian and an expert in Hawaiian crops and cropping systems. Lincoln has experienced traditional resource management in many countries around the Pacific Rim, and has worked with many organizations in revitalizing traditional dryland agricultural systems in Hawai‘i. His research lab, the Indigenous Cropping Systems laboratory, uses mixed methods to delve into our “kupuna (ancestral) crops.” Their work often starts with ethnographic and historical research to ground the project in traditional knowledge and perspectives. Then, classic research methods are applied, including agronomy, archaeology, ecology, and soil and plant science. Finally, these different lines of evidence are brought together, often through the use of spatial analysis and mapping, to tell interwoven stories of science, culture, and values.
The ethnobotanical guide publication is a culmination of his many years of historical research and kilo, or observation, working around and with as many varieties of sugarcane as possible. “In light of growing environmental and social issues associated with conventional agriculture, many people are acknowledging the multiple benefits derived from traditional, sustainable farming. Knowledge of heirloom plants, such as kō, is necessary in the development of new crops that can thrive in diversified, place-specific agricultural systems,” says Dr. Lincoln. “This guide provides common ground for discussion and a foundation upon which to build collective knowledge of indigenous Hawaiian sugarcane.”
Hoʻomaikaʻi nō iā ʻoe e Noa! We are thrilled to highlight Dr. Noa Lincoln in this issue of Kilolani and encourage members to REGISTER for our End of the Year Virtual Holiday Event on December 17th, where Dr. Lincoln will join us for an intimate presentation on kō, its role in Hawaiian agriculture, as well as sharing some known varieties.