Supreme Court Hearing for Nā Wai ʻEhā

“Wai”, the Hawaiian word for water is at the root of the very word that describes anything of value, “waiwai.” This is telling in terms of our traditional perspective on this precious resource; a perspective that permeates our modern day body of law concerning water, where water cannot be owned by any one person or entity, but is deemed a public trust for the benefit of all. The Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi heard oral arguments on the ongoing battle to ensure that the waters of “Nā Wai ʻEhā” (the Four Great Waters of Maui) are available for traditional and customary Hawaiian practices and ʻŌiwiTV was there for the arguments and produced this feature on this important issue and the ongoing case.