Mapping the Lands and Waters of Hawai'i: The Hawaiian Government Survey(Palapala'aina, Vol.3)

In 1870, land records were chaotic in the Kingdom of Hawaii as a result of often poor surveying during the mahele process. Under William DeWitt Alexander, an agency was established to survey and map the country. The Hawaiian Government Survey was an ambitious undertaking; the United States lacked a similar agency to map the entire country. Alexander shaped the HGS into a survey that achieved a high standard of proficiency, choosing not to emulate Western mapping agencies, but developing a uniquely Hawaiian approach to mapping the land. The HGS preserved the vestiges of the Hawaiian system of land tenure. Surveyors documented ancient boundaries, names of land units and features within them by employing and consulting with Hawaiians; preservation of references to that land system has been an important component in the preservation of Hawaiian culture.