Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis

Author:Ilima Loomis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Neal Porter Books

that feeds the stream of sunlit gold,

flooding the land that’s never been sold,

where work the hands so wise and old,

that reach through the water, clear and cold,

into the mud

to pick the kalo

to make the poi

for our ‘ohana’s lū‘au.

A NOTE ON KALO AND POI

The origin of kalo, also known as taro, is directly connected to

the genealogy of the Hawaiian people. In a story passed down

from generation to generation, Wākea—the Sky Father—and

Ho‘ohokukalani gave birth to a stillborn child and buried

him near their home. From their infant’s earthen grave grew a

kalo plant, which they named Hāloanakalaukapalili, meaning

“quivering long stalk and leaf.” Later, a second child was born

and named Hāloa; he became the first kanaka, or Hawaiian.

This is why kalo is not just considered a plant, but honored as

the elder brother of the human race.

Hawaiians cultivated kalo for more than a thousand years, and

they continue to do so today, in both irrigated ponds, called

lo‘i kalo, and in gardens, called māla ‘ai. Hawaiians grew more

than 400 varieties of kalo, each having unique characteristics,

tastes, and uses. Kalo is a highly nutritious food, and all parts

of the plant are eaten—from leaf to corm.

The most common way of eating kalo is pounded into a

smooth paste, called poi. To make poi, the corm is steamed

and pounded into a mash, called pa‘i ‘ai, with a stone pounder,

called pōhaku ku‘i ‘ai, on a wooden board, called papa ku‘i ‘ai.

When the pa‘i ‘ai becomes smooth, it is placed into a calabash,

called an ‘umeke, and mixed with small amounts of water to

become poi.

Poi was the staple food of Hawaiians, and it is still cherished

today. ‘Ohana put their conflicts aside when poi is present,

because it is considered disrespectful to quarrel in front of

elders. Poi is often the first food given to babies, and no

celebratory lū‘au is complete without it.

—Hōkūao Pellegrino

Noho‘ana Farm

Waikapū, Maui, Hawai‘i

A NOTE from the author

It is through a shared meal that we come together as a family.

An ‘ohana can include not just parents, children, brothers, and

sisters, but also neighbors, visitors, and friends old and new.

Food connects us—not just with one another, but with the

whole world. The land, the water, the air, our community, and

even the sun come together in every bite. It is this connection

that I hoped to honor when I sat down to write about the most

traditional Hawaiian food, poi.

—Ilima Loomis

GLOSSARY

Kalo – the taro plant, Colocasia esculenta

Kanaka – human being, man, person, Hawaiian

Lo‘i kalo – wetland pond, used for cultivating kalo

Lū‘au – a Hawaiian feast, this word is also used to describe the

cooked kalo leaf

Māla ‘ai – garden, cultivated field,

usually rain fed

‘Ohana – family, relative

Pa‘i ‘ai – hard, hand-pounded kalo

Papa ku‘i ‘ai – the wooden board on

which kalo is pounded

Pōhaku ku‘i ‘ai – the stone tool

used for pounding kalo

Poi – the starchy paste made from the

cooked corm of the kalo plant, a staple

Hawaiian food

‘Umeke – bowl made from calabash

gourd or wood

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