Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 3, 1 March 2005 — Hiʻiaka's favorite food remains a healthy choice [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hiʻiaka's favorite food remains a

healthy choice

It was after nightfall when the two women approached a lighted plaee, inland near the Kailua-Waimānalo boundary. It was Ka'anahau's hale. He greeted the women and offered them food and shelter. But since the food had been prepared before nightfall, Ka'anahau also promised to prepare more food in the morning. One of the women said they would wait until the morning to eat, adding that she preferred to eat lū'au (taro leaf). Ka'anahau offered the women a sleeping area, and they retired for the night. Early the next morning, Ka'anahau gathered lū'au that grew by the stream near his cooking plaee, then lit a fire and prepared the food for his guests. When the food was ready, he said, "Let us eat; this is the big-leafed food from my land." The women noticed how handsome their host was, and Ka'anahau was aware of their beauty. Initiating conversation, one of the women asked their host for his name. Ka'anahau answered, and in retum he asked his guests for their names. The woman replied, "You mentioned my name in the prayer when you offered the eup of 'awa." Ka'anahau guessed, "Perhaps you are Pele?" "No, the second name that you spoke in your prayer," answered the woman. "Ah, then the name that belongs with the

beautiful face that gives light to the evening is Hi'iaka," Ka'anahau guessed. "Yes," the woman replied, "and my eompanion is my kinsman and beloved friend, Wahine'ōma'o." Ka'anahau urged the women to eat and promised to eook a suckling pig for the next

evening meal. Hi'iaka explained, "There is nothing I like better than lū'au. My kinsman and I would be satisfied with that." After their meal, the three passed some time in conversation, then retired for the evening. The next day, both women again ate heartily. Then Hi'iaka said, "I have eaten my favorite food, lū'au, on Hawai'i, Maui, Moloka'i and O'ahu. Never has there been such abundance. I ean eat no more." M

Some say the gift of appreciation that Hi'iaka gave Ka'anahau for his hospitality was a stone called "Pōhaku Hi'iaka," whieh she tumed into a woman. "In the future when I am angry, I will be appeased with a gift of lū'au," Hi'iaka said, "for I have paid for such with my person." Hi'iaka's favorite food remains a healthy ehoiee for us today. Nutritionally speaking, lū 'au provides large amounts of Vitamin A, B vitamins and some vitamin C, as well as the minerals ealeium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and

potassium. Lū'au was eaten in large quantities by all early Hawaiians, and

this food undoubtedly contributed significantly in the development of length and density of the Hawaiian ancestors' bones that gave them great height.

Culturally, lu'au is served as a food, a gift of tribute and a

spiritual representation of the gods. Lū'au is a kinolau (body form) of the god Lono and was given to the ali'i with other food products as tributes during the annual makahiki season during whieh Lono was celebrated. Lū'au was also used with 'ama'ama (mullet) in the 'aha'aina māwaewae, a prayerful feast for infants conducted to clear the way and set the newbom's feet on the spiritual path forged by the ancestors. -i

Mo'olelo

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r^i J £_£' By Claire Hughes U r Dr.PH.f R.D.