Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 10, 1 October 2007 — Traditions that bind [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Traditions that bind

In old Hawai'i, the most desired food was kalo (taro), whieh the ancestors found absolutely delicious when it was cooked and pounded into poi. Uniquely Hawaiian, poi was eaten from infancy to old age. Poi, kalo and its leaves, lū'au, eomprised a large part of most meals. Estimates indicate that adult kāne ate about 15 pounds of kalo daily. Because kalo and lū'au were eaten in quantity, they provided a majority of the daily nutrients that built healthy Hawaiians. This all-impor-tant food was valuable in trading for items the mahi'ai (farmer) needed, and some varieties were used as lā'au lapa'au, to treat illness. Hawaiians developed numerous vaiieties of kalo from about 20 that were brought to Hawai'i on the initial migrations. By the time the first western bota-

nists counted, there were nearly 350 names for about 150 taro vaiieties. Hawai'i's kalo cultivation surpassed that of any other island group in the entire Pacific. Availability of fresh water and hllahle soil in Hawai'i provided a fabulous base for cultivation of this food, and the Hawaiian mahi'ai developed kalo that would grow in all kinds of soil. Pa 'i 'ai, unmixed poi, whieh kept for weeks, was taken on long journeys and mixed with water for eating as need dictated. Kalo sits at the very core of the Hawaiian belief system. Kawena Pūku'i wrote, "The family bowl of poi in the household was sacred to Hāloa . . . an ancestor in the line senior to man, in the genealogical records of the generations born of the Heavens (Wākea) and the Earth (Papa). The bowl of poi, sacred to Hāloa, occupied in the Hawaiian household a plaee not unlike that of the hearth for the Latin and Greek

ancestor worshippers, or the sacred fire in the Hindu home." Thus, eonversation and behavior at family mealtimes had to be respectful to honor Hāloa's presence. Today, we face a poi and kalo crisis. There are many days when absolutely no poi is available, and it is pipi'i (expensive) when it is. Some have said that when kalo disappears, so will Hawaiians. We need to look for ways to help the mahi'ai be successful growing, protecting and producing more kalo. I miss it. How about you? Another fading tradition is 'ohana loyalty and commitment to places of birth. In the past, families' histories and identities were closely bound to their geographical homelands, whieh provided a grounding or belonging, a "sense of plaee" and identity for Hawaiians. But today many have moved from ancestral lands for opportunities of employment, education or mariiage. Thus, reconnecting with the 'ohana history is a huge challenge for kūpuna and mākua. Yet, learning about grandparents and

great-grandparents ean contribute significantly to eulūual grounding for the keiki. Genealogical research ean provide hours of pleasure, create stronger family and cultural ties, and

give our keiki a glimpse into their own potential.

Birth certificates and tape-recorded memo-

ries of the elders are good places to start. Some

have family historians who have already collectedinformation on

'ohana gene- alogies. Critical information ean be found in family graveyards and old church records. Sometimes an elder in the old hometown will remember something about your family. Records and photos may exist at former employers or town

libraries. Sometimes, family bibles provide records of family births and marriages. Finally, the process ean be made pleasurable by learning area history from Hawaiian songs.

Teach your keiki the unique family highlights and environmental, geographical and histoiical characteiistics of their homeland. As our young p e o p 1 e

adopt

more and more outside ways, these things will be reminders of their uniqueness. It will give them personal security and a sense of plaee. C

MO'OLELO • HISTDRY

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D.