Hawaiian Plants

For my last blog post, I want to talk about a plant that I've worked with for a very long time! I am part of a research group at KCC called Project ʻOlonā and for three years I've focused on Nīoi, or also known as the Hawaiian chili pepper. Our focus was to bridge Hawaiian traditional knowledge of medicine with modern science. With the use of modern day science and technology, we can look at how these plants helped medicinally and verify what our ancestors knew.   Nīoi (Capsicum frutescens) is a chili pepper that was introduced to Hawaiʻi and became naturalized to the islands. Kahuna lāʻau lapaʻau (traditional Hawaiian health practitioners) used nīoi to treat arthritis, rheumatism, toothaches, to clear their sinuses, and other health issues. Practitioners would use nīoi with other ingredients to make their remedies.  My project in a nutshell! Just to make it easier to read, I'll list out what I did and what I've concluded. Grew nīoi in hydroponics and

ʻIlima is an indigenous plant and it is characteristically known by their little beautiful yellow flowers. Although they are very pretty, they have no scent. ʻIlima has been recognized as Hawaiʻi's state flower! Traditionally, they were used to make beautiful lei. At one point, they were only reserved for royalty because they resembled the yellow feather lei that aliʻi (chiefs) used to wear. Medicinal usage: The juice from the flowers were used as a mild laxative for babies. When the root bark was mixed with the flower, it was known to help with asthma. Iʻm not sure how they ingested it, but Iʻm assuming that they mixed the juices together.

 Kalo, also known as taro, is a very important traditional plant to the Native Hawaiians. It was the primary food source and it had a strong connection to the people. Moʻolelo (Story): Wākea (sky father) and Hoʻohokulani, who was Wākea's daughter, had a stillborn child named Hāloa. They wrapped him up, put him in a basket, and buried him in the ground. From his body grew the first kalo plant. Wākea and Hoʻohokulani had a second son which they also named Hāloa. The first son was known as Hāloa naka and became the first kalo. The second son respected his sibling and took care of him, and became the first Hawaiian. Since Hāloa took such good care of Hāloa naka, the eldest brother returned the favor by providing his younger brother with sustenance and nourishment. Kalo is grown in a loʻi, which is a irrigated terrace. But kalo can be grown in wetlands and drylands. All parts of the kalo can be used. The leaves can be used to make lūʻau. The corm can be used to make poi or paʻiʻa