Kalo (Colocasia esculenta)

 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 paʻiʻai. The difference between the two is that poi has more water in it. The huli, or stem part of the plant, can be replanted to grow more kalo.

There are many varieties of kalo, but the best one that I've ever tasted was called piʻi aliʻi. In ancient times, this variety of kalo was only reserved for the aliʻi (chiefs) because it was of high quality and great flavor. Piʻi aliʻi was also used as an offering to the gods.

My boyfriend and I...mostly my boyfriend.... planted kalo (taro) in this lo'i! There are different styles to planting kalo. In this picture, he used the mound technique. He said that this is one of the original ways to plant kalo. The way that we're used to seeing, planting straight into the ground, is a Chinese style. Sort of like planting rice! 

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 15, 2018 at 11:33 PM

    Before I moved to Hawaii I took a Pacific Studies class and learned juuuust a little bit about Hawaiian history and I really loved this story in particular. I really enjoy thinking of plants as ancestors, we have such a beautiful relationship with them and it's probably muuuuch closer to reality (in ways) than some beliefs.

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