Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 7, 1 July 1989 — "In celebration of taro" festival July 22 [ARTICLE]

"In celebration of taro" festival July 22

Everything you wanted to know about the history and cultural significance of taro will be featured July 22 at the Windward Community College's "In Celebration of Taro." The festival will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Windward Community College Campus. It is being co-sponsored by the Native Hawaiian Health Task Force, Windward Community College and Friends of Taro. The festival will combine fun and educational activities — Hawaiian legends in storytelling, arts and crafts with taro, informative lectures on the role of taro in Hawaiian history and culture, raising taro and demonstrations on the various techniques used to prepare taro for eating and medieinal purposes.There will be huli (young taro shoots) available to take home to plant. Children's activities include learning the different parts of taro, poi pounding, and how to use simple taro or poi-based recipes. Different varieties of taro will be exhibited along with food booths featuring kulolo, taro chips, laulau and poi. Free taro recipes will be available. For many centuries taro was the staple of the Hawaiian people. Today it has been termed "the forgotten food" because taro is less widely culti-

vated or used, according to Mitsue Cook-Carlson of Friends of Taro. Native Hawaiian T ask Force member Laurel Au Muneoka notes, "For Hawaiians, taro has been considered "a beloved older sibling" and its growing pattern demonstrated the central concept of 'ohana (family and extended family). Planting, growing and eating taro reinforced important Hawaiian concepts of cooperation, contribution to the group, responsibility, sharing and that hard work was required to reap a crop." The purpose of the festival is to educate the publie about the importance of taro in the past, its value as a food source with multiple uses, and to encourage its increased use in the future. For more information eall the Windward Community College Community Services Office at 2357434.

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