KALO OF HAWAI'I
KALO OF HAWAI'I
DEC 2024 - NOW
DEC 2024 - NOW
COLLABORATORS:
COLLABORATORS:
Unko Keoki
Unko Keoki
My Uncle Keoki's driveway overflowing with kalo in pots, baby banana trees, lilikoi, ulu, papaya and who knows what else, has always been a source of wonder for me growing up. Visiting his and my grandma's home in Oahu, we would spend hours with pickaxes, digging holes and making rock patches in the "backyard" (the boonies), listening to my uncle talk stories and knowledge of his plants. The dream is to plant them all in the ground… someday… For now, I settle for recording them in watercolor and pencil, trying to capture the uniqueness of each variety, the story their leaves say.
Kalo (aka Taro) has great significance in Native Hawaiian culture. It is a kupuna (ancestor) to Kanaka people and the main staple crop. Every part of the plant is edible, from the lu'au (leaf) to the ha (stem) to the corm (makes poi and kulolo). Kalo was also used for medicine and as offerings to Hawaiian gods.
My Uncle Keoki's driveway overflowing with kalo in pots, baby banana trees, lilikoi, ulu, papaya and who knows what else, has always been a source of wonder for me growing up. Visiting his and my grandma's home in Oahu, we would spend hours with pickaxes, digging holes and making rock patches in the "backyard" (the boonies), listening to my uncle talk stories and knowledge of his plants. The dream is to plant them all in the ground… someday… For now, I settle for recording them in watercolor and pencil, trying to capture the uniqueness of each variety, the story their leaves say.
Kalo (aka Taro) has great significance in Native Hawaiian culture. It is a kupuna (ancestor) to Kanaka people and the main staple crop. Every part of the plant is edible, from the lu'au (leaf) to the ha (stem) to the corm (makes poi and kulolo). Kalo was also used for medicine and as offerings to Hawaiian gods.
‘Ula’ula Kumu
Named after the Hawaiian Kumu fish, the stems sharing the bright red color and white stripes of their ocean counterpart.
‘Ula’ula Kumu
Named after the Hawaiian Kumu fish, the stems sharing the bright red color and white stripes of their ocean counterpart.
‘Ula’ula Kumu
Named after the Hawaiian Kumu fish, the stems sharing the bright red color and white stripes of their ocean counterpart.
Nihopu’u
Native variety, name meaning buck teeth.
Nihopu’u
Native variety, name meaning buck teeth.
Nihopu’u
Native variety, name meaning buck teeth.
Piko uliuli
From the Piko family, and Uli means dark color, seen on the stem
Piko uliuli
From the Piko family, and Uli means dark color, seen on the stem
Piko uliuli
From the Piko family, and Uli means dark color, seen on the stem
Apuwai
Apu meaning coconut shell or cup, and wai meaning water, rain gets caught in the upward facing leaves. This water was given to the Ali‘i (chiefs) because the water came directly from heaven.
Apuwai
Apu meaning coconut shell or cup, and wai meaning water, rain gets caught in the upward facing leaves. This water was given to the Ali‘i (chiefs) because the water came directly from heaven.
Apuwai
Apu meaning coconut shell or cup, and wai meaning water, rain gets caught in the upward facing leaves. This water was given to the Ali‘i (chiefs) because the water came directly from heaven.
Lehua Maoli
An iconic favorite of the kalos, Lehua is a native variety producing a red colored poi, named after the ohia tree.
Lehua Maoli
An iconic favorite of the kalos, Lehua is a native variety producing a red colored poi, named after the ohia tree.
Lehua Maoli
An iconic favorite of the kalos, Lehua is a native variety producing a red colored poi, named after the ohia tree.
Mahalo to Kupuna Kalo for providing additional information and a database of characteristics for different varieties. (https://www.kupunakalo.com/kalo-varieties)
And to Bulletin 84 published by the University of Hawaii for documenting and providing context for taro in Hawaii.
Mahalo to Kupuna Kalo for providing additional information and a database of characteristics for different varieties. (https://www.kupunakalo.com/kalo-varieties)
And to Bulletin 84 published by the University of Hawaii for documenting and providing context for taro in Hawaii.
Mahalo to Kupuna Kalo for providing additional information and a database of characteristics for different varieties. (https://www.kupunakalo.com/kalo-varieties)
And to Bulletin 84 published by the University of Hawaii for documenting and providing context for taro in Hawaii.
