Looking at "Old Hawaii" by studying anthropology, archaeology, and ethnography one can observe how food and culture interacted. By looking at their habits it was clear the Hawaiians were ecologically aware and cultivated their food sustainably. Complex religious practices and Polynesian culture would stop the overuse of land and the elimination of fish and animal populations. If a portion of land was notably overused, priests would come and perform a ritual like the annual makahiki or harvest festival, that would stop agricultural practices for two months to help the soil recover its nutrients. Fishing was regulated, the two most popular fish populations were the Aku (bonito) and the Opelu (mackerel), these two fish were forbidden to be hunted simultaneously. Having a cyclical hunting routine would allow their populations to replenish.

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(O'Connor, The Hawaiian luau: food as tradition, transgression, transformation and travel).