Article written by H. Larry Raigetal and Amanda Millin. “Yegaleogulog sai we yan Palu sefu, me nomon unanu, yebwe uga mo goun manewahr.  rebwe la tufu naun uun Kachau” These are opening lines of the famous Micronesian chant of Wonap, an ancestral navigator known as the father of navigation. It tells the story of how this great Palu (navigator) prepared his voyage for a distant land. His specific mission was to harvest the source of life from a fishpond using his special fish trap from the land of Kachau, a legendary place in the east where navigation originated. It is here that the ..read more

‘Ana Fonongava’inga Stringer Aissa Yazzie Alana Quintasket Amanda Millin Azure Boure Barbara Wilson Beangka Elliott Brenda Asuncion Buster Landin Caroline Edwards Charlene Krise Cherie Kauahi Chris Whitehead Courtney Greiner Dana Lepofsky Darcy Mathews Darren Lerner Darren Okimoto Elizabeth Campbell Elizabeth Unsell Emily Akamine Emily Buckner Emma Norman Ginny L. Eckert Hwsyun’yun Skye Augustine Jamie Donatuto Janine Ledford Jay Mills Jennifer Nu Jodie Toft Joe Williams Julie Barber Kai Fox Karen Grosskreutz Katy Hintzen Kenneth Weitzel Kevin Chang Kim Moa Laural Ballew Leigh Engel Lindsey ..read more

Article written by Simon Friday, pictured above. Every week like clockwork, a ship from the outside world comes into our ports and delivers what everyone needs to survive: food. It is a day many look forward to, because it means more of their favorite items will be back on the shelves and families can make the meals they planned without missing a key ingredient. We usually run out of fresh staples like fruit, bread, milk and eggs rather quickly, but the next shipment always seems to make it into the community just in time. It’s an imperfect system, but one that we have grown accustomed t ..read more

My name is ‘Ana Fonongava’inga Stringer, and I recently completed my role as the Cross-Pacific Indigenous Aquaculture Network (IACN) student assistant. I am currently a graduate student at the University of Washington, pursuing a master’s degree at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA). I was born in Seattle, Washington and have lived in many incredible places, however I have strong roots in Tonga, my mother’s homeland in the South Pacific. Growing up in Utqiagvik, Alaska shaped my deep connection to the land and sea, and expanded my ties across the Pacific. Living in a tra ..read more

The cover of the newly released, second edition of Heaven on the Half Shell. Photo Credit: Washington Sea Grant, used with permission. Oysters are beloved bivalves to our nearshore ecosystems and remain an important First Food for coastal Indigenous communities throughout the Pacific. Many of the Indigenous Aquaculture Network’s collaborators work to ensure abundant and healthy oysters to benefit their communities. From Mitchell Gibbs and the Gamay Rangers incorporating traditional knowledge into the management and restoration of oyster reefs in Australia, to Marco Hatch and collaborator ..read more

Limu Kala and Limu Pepeiao on the papa (reef flat). Photo Credit: Kim Moa, courtesy of KUA.   This month we are featuring limu in our recipe blog series. Traditional Hawaiian diets often feature poi, fish and limu. Limu is seaweed that provides incredible nutrients, vitamins and flavor to many culturally significant dishes, and remains a staple in Hawaiian cuisine. Since limu is a term also used to describe a variety of edible seaweeds, you can find a wide range of textures and flavors from the peppery taste of limu kohu to the fresh and crunchy delight of limu ‘akiʻaki. Originally ..read more

Herring Roe  Each spring, herring return to the deep blue waters and inlets of British Columbia in tremendous numbers. During this time, they spawn along the coastal shores with female herring laying upwards of 20,000 eggs each. Male herring fertilize the eggs soon after, turning the ocean into a unique light turquoise color, reminiscent of Caribbean waters. The roe is sticky and quickly attaches to seaweed, sea grass, rocks and other substrates. This spawning event typically lasts for a few days and attracts thousands of marine species including birds, fish, and even marine mammals wh ..read more

A basket of freshly foraged, early spring nettles. Nettles are one of the highlighted ingredients for this first blog of the recipe series. Photo courtesy of Elise Krohn.  The Cross-Pacific Indigenous Aquaculture Collaborative Network (IACN) is thrilled to announce the beginning of our recipe series that will celebrate Indigenous coastal food systems and traditions. A goal of the IACN is to bring awareness to and support the continuation of traditional practices around aquaculture and coastal resource management, which includes Indigenous food sovereignty. The acts of growing, culti ..read more

‘Ana Fonongava’inga Stringer Aissa Yazzie Alana Quintasket Amanda Millin Azure Boure Barbara Wilson Beangka Elliott Brenda Asuncion Buster Landin Caroline Edwards Charlene Krise Cherie Kauahi Chris Whitehead Courtney Greiner Dana Lepofsky Darcy Mathews Darren Lerner Darren Okimoto Elizabeth Campbell Elizabeth Unsell Emily Akamine Emily Buckner Emma Norman Ginny L. Eckert Hwsyun’yun Skye Augustine Jamie Donatuto Janine Ledford Jay Mills Jennifer Nu Jodie Toft Joe Williams Julie Barber Kai Fox Karen Grosskreutz Katy Hintzen Kenneth Weitzel Kevin Chang Kim Moa Laural Ballew Leigh Engel Lindsey ..read more