The art of opelu fishing

A lei tossed into the waters off Milolii during the opening ceremony Saturday morning of the Milolii Opelu Project and La Elima Celebration. (Brad Ballesteros/Special to West Hawaii Today)

LEFT: Students and families check out their catch on the beach after laying a net on the reef Saturday. During the course of the morning, the Milolii Opelu Project students learned fishing skills, which have been passed from generation to generation. RIGHT: Nainoa Carvalho, 16, grates a pumpkin on a grater made by the students. The grated pumpkin is mixed with avocado and taro to make bait used in opelu fishing.

BRAD BALLESTEROS/SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY)

Nainoa Carvalho, 16, grates a pumpkin on a grader made by students of the Milolii Opelu Project. The grated pumpkin is mixed with avocado and kalo (taro) to make palu (bait) used in opelu fishing. (Brad Ballesteros/Special to West Hawaii Today)

Milolii Opelu Project students guided by their mentor, Craig Carvalho, center, chase fish into the net. During this program, elders teach youth the ancient Hawaiian practice of opelu fishing by using traditional methods. (Brad Ballesteros/Special to West Hawaii Today)

Sixteen-year-old students Talo Fifita, left, and Nainoa Carvalho set up a scale model of the type of net used in opelu fishing in Milolii. (Brad Ballesteros/Special to West Hawaii Today)

Milolii Opelu Project students and mentors prepare to paddle out off for the harvest ceremonies. Two restored canoes, Kueni Paulo and Mokulele O Ke Kai, were blessed prior by Kahu Brian Boshard. (Brad Ballesteros/Special to West Hawaii Today)

Milolii Opelu Project students and mentors gather on the beach Saturday morning for the welcoming protocol. (Brad Ballesteros/Special to West Hawaii Today)

Miloli Opelu Project students and mentors launch the canoe Kueni Paulo after it was blessed by Kahu Brian Boshard Saturday morning. It was one of two canoes restored by Bill Rosehill. (Brad Ballesteros/Special to West Hawaii Today)