Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 12, 1 December 1997 — The importance of taro [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The importance of taro

By Claire Hughes, N u t r i 1 1 o n i s t , Howal'l Department Of Health

ĪHE FOOD staple most desired in Hawai'i nei was the taro. When beaten into poi, or made up into bundles of hard poi, called Pa'i'ai, I omao or holo'ai, it I is a delicious food. | Taro is raised by planting the stems. The young and ten-

der leaves are cooked and eaten as greens called lū'au, likewise the stems under the name of hā. Poi is such an agreeable food that taro is in great demand," David Malo wrote in " Hawaiian Antiquities" as an adult student at Lahainaluna circa 1 835-36. Mueh evidence supports Malo's premise, including great tracts of land onee devoted to taro. Bringing water to the lo'i entailed hard work. Dr. Menzies,

the surgeon with Captain Vancouver on the HMS Discovery, described Waikīkl, saying, "The verge of the shore was planted with a large grove of coconut palms affording a delightful shade to the scattered habitations of the natives. We pursued a pleasing path back into the plantation, whieh was nearly level and very extensive, and laid out with great neamess into little fields planted with taro, yams, sweet potatoes and the cloth plant. These in many cases were divided by little banks on whieh grew the sugar eane and a species of Draecena without the aid of mueh cultivation, and the whole was watered in a most ingenious manner by dividing the general stream into little aqueducts leading in various directions so as to supply the most distant fields at pleasure, and the soil seems to repay the labor and industry of these people by the luxuriency of the production." Other descriptions talk of fertile lands throughout Hawai'i abundant with taro and other foods. Respected Hawaiian historian Charles Kenn wrote, "Poi is the staple food of Hawaiians. It has been remarked that there is more food value to one tuber of

taro than there is to a tuber of any other kind of root." Poi was sometimes used by our elders to test a visitor's personality. A mo'olelo often repeated to us by our

mother made us respectful guests in the homes of others and taught us to mix poi very carefully, making sure it was smooth, appropriately sticky and free of lumps. The mo'olelo talks of a guest who ate around the lumps in his poi while others ate the same poi, lumps and all.

Those who ate the lumps found they were tasty morsels of fish mixed into the poi. Those too proud, left the morsels untouched in the bottom of their poi bowl. Very little land and water is devoted to taro cultivation today. If one ean even find poi in a store, it is very expensive, about $2 a serving. Small wonder the availability of taro has become a politi-

eal issue. Mayor Harris has floated the idea of importing taro from China. This would present yet another challenge to Hawai'i's few remaining taro farmers.

We know that China does not have our peeuliar varieties of taro and Chinese farmers use their own loeal methods of cultivation. If imported taro is brought to our markets, we hope the homework will have been done to assure a safe product that is palatable to Hawaiians. Hawaiian taro varieties

and cultivation methods have produced the finest eating quality taro, and wetland varieties have always been the most desired here. Caring for the kinolau of Kāne demands great toil and diligence. While some elaim dry-land taro is equally desirable, it is only more convenient to grow. Phone Mayor Harris at 523-4141 to let him know how you feel about importing taro. ■

"If imported taro is brought to our markets, we hope the homework will have heen done to assure a safe product that is palatable to Hawaiians."

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