Variousfoods/plantsthatsustainedtheHawaiianpeople

Imagestakenfromhttp://www.botany.hawaii.edu,http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/index.asporfrompersonallibrary

Culturally,themostimportantfoodforNativeHawaiians.

Saidtobethe“numberonesibling”andtheembodimentofKane(creator).

Forsomevarietieswecanusewholeplant.

Servesasfoodaswellasmedicine.

Theleaf(lu‘au)canbeusedforwrappingoffood(laulau).SourceofvitaminsA,B,andC.

Tuberorcormaresteamedandpoundedtomakepoi/pa‘i‘ai.(staple)

Foods‐laulau,lu‘au,kulolo,poi,pa‘i‘ai

Mustcleanleafbeforeuse,tocleanofffineneedlestopreventirritationofmouthandthroat.

Removesswellingfrominsectbites,helpswithinfectionofwounds,helptocastbrokenbones,andifusedwithotherplantscanhelpwithdiarrhea.

AnotherveryimportantfoodforNativeHawaiians

Providedsustenanceintimeskalocouldnot

Multipurposeplant Takesabout5‐7yearstofruit

Verystarchy(carbohydrates),andgoodsourceofvitaminsAandB,aswellascalcium.

Nofat!

Stickysapusedtomakeatypeofchewinggum,helpedcatchbirds,andglueorcaulking

Light‐weightwoodusedtomakecanoes,drums,surfboardsandhomes

Saphealsskinscratches,scrapes,andchappedskin(windburn)

Leafbudshelpwithmouthsores

Barkusedtomakealowgradetapa(cloth)

Driedmaleflowersusedtomakemosquitorepellant

Sacredplantusedinceremonies,asasedativeandtohelpopencommunicationchannelstothedivine

Takes2‐3yearstoreachfullpotency

LinkedtoLaka(Pele’syoungersister)

Respiratoryproblems‐asthma

Soothrestlesschildrenduringteething

Easeheadachesandmenstrualcramps

Achymuscles,chills,colds,displacedwomb,urinarytractproblems,diabetesandrheumatism

Usuallyusedformedicinalpurposes

Planthasfruityear‐round

Pungentodorderogatesuse

Ifused,unpleasanttasteisusuallyfollowedbychaser(foodorliquid)

FoundalloverSouthPacificandAustralia

Treats:hearttrouble,diabetes,highbloodpressure,skincancer

Young,unripenoniusedfordeepcutsandonbrokenbones

Eatingfruitaidsagingailmentslikerheumatism,arthritis,aswellastuberculosisandcancer

Juiceoffruitissaidtohelpwith‘uku(lice,fleas)

Redandyellowdyescomefromthetree(barkandroot,respectively)

Fruitwaseatenintimesofscarcity

Inmoderntimes,hasbeenaddedwithgarlictoenhanceimmunesystem

Kinolau(earthybody)oftheGodKu

Nobiggerthananadultthumb,memberofgingerfamily

RarelyfoundtodayinHawai‘i

UsedinplaceslikeIndiatomakecurry

Yellowandorangedyemadefromplantusedontapa(cloth‐likepaper)

Extractedjuicefrompoundedroothelpsclearsinuscongestionandearaches

Treatstuberculosis,bronchitis,colds,asthma

Takenasadiuretic Stopsbleeding Addedtobowlofwater

andsprinkledwithtileaftopurifyaspace

ConsideredthebodyformofKamapua‘a

Symbolofenlightenment,protectionandpeace

Silvery‐greencolorisusedtorepresenttheislandofMoloka‘iinlei

Originallyusedonlyforoil

Flowerswerechewedandgiventochildrenneedingtohealsoresinmouthorontongue,saptoowasused

Sapusedforchappedlips,coldsoresandsunburn

Kukuiandnonitogetherhelptreatjointproblems,wounds,deepbruisesandareappliedwithheat(hotrocks)

Mashedroastednutusedforconstipationandhighblood‐pressure

Oil:lamps;fishermenspititonwatersurfacetoseebelow;varnish;topreservenets

Innerbark:reddyeand‘olonacordage(ropes)

Blacksootfromnutroastingusedfortattoo,andpaintingoncanoesandtapa

Woodusedincanoebuilding

BodyformofKanaloa‐GodofHealing

Symbolsofbadluckindreamsandforfishing

Notreallyatreebutagiantherb!(grassfamily;wheat,barley)

Toharvest,thewholetrunkiscutdown

Kapu(forbidden)towomenuntilthe1800s

Goodsourceofpotassium,vitaminsA,CandsomeB

Innerheartoftrunkcanbecooked

Growswell Greenbananascanbeboiled

inskintoreplacestarchinameal

Requiresshallowhole,sufficientdrainageandlotsofwater

Ripefruitusedforasthma Vitaminrichnectarfrom

saporflowerbudisusedtostrengthenbabies

Budjuicehelpsstomachproblemsforallages

Thepeelofaripebananaispoundedandapplied(inside‐out)ontowounds,hasanantibioticpropertyagainstbacteria

Leaves:houseroof,umbrellas,rainhats,truceflag,bowlcovers,sandals,clothing….

Leafsheath:waterrunways,plantcontainers

Leafsheathfibers:thatching,stringlei

Trunk:canoerollers,mulch;inimuhelpstrapmoisturetocreatesteam;ifdriedcanbeusedasasplintonafracturedlimb

BodyofKane(oneofmany,kaloisanother)

All‘awapuhihaveapleasantfragrance

OriginatedinIndia,itwasintroduced/distributedtoPolynesia

Spicysmellingrootsweredriedandpoundedasmedicine

Withnoni,itwasusedtodresssprains

Cookedandsoftenedrootpackedintoothtotreattoothachesandcavities

Groundandstrainedrootmaterialwasingestedtohelpwithstomachaches

Fragrantstalkswereaddedtoimutoenhanceflavortoporkorfish

Commonlyusedasashampooandconditioner!

Flowerheadshaveajuicyandsudsyliquidthataddsshineandsoftnesstohair

SaidtobethesisterofthegoddessHina

Soprized,hadtoseekpermissionofchieftocut

Usedaswindbreaks Leavesareheartshapedwithasmooth,leatherysurface

Essentialplantforallpeople;ocean,land,craftsmen,farmer

Sapisusedasamildlaxativeforbabiesandyoungchildren

Flowerbudsareusedasalaxativeforolderchildrenandadults

Flowerbudswerechewedandeatenforsorethroat

Soakingbarkofstemsproducedaslimeusedtoalleviatecongestion

Lubricantqualitiesoftheinnerbarkusefulwiththepassageofchildbirthandenemas

Verylightwood,usefulforthecanoeiako(outriggers)

Woodusedasanadzehandle

Piledbranchessignaledafishingkapu

Usedasfloatsforfishingnets

Usedforcordingmaterial;lashing,sewingtapa,wovenasastrainer

Usedtostartmakingfirewithkukuiwood

SacredtotheGodoftheocean,LonoandtotheGoddessofhula,Laka

Saidtobetheinspirationofthekahili(royalfeatherstandard)

Worntoprotectfromevilspiritsandtobringingood

Usedasawraptosteamherbs Placedoverentirebodytobreaka

fever Leaveswereusedtorelieve

headaches Wrappingwarmstonesinleaves

andplacingonbodyalleviatedsoremuscles

Drinkmadefromboiledgreenleavesaidedinnerveandmusclerelaxation

Steamfromboiledyoungshootsandleavesmadeaneffectivedecongestant

Usedasfans,foodstoragewraps,luresonhukilaunets,roofthatching,plates,skirts…

Makesapowerfulliquorcalledokolehao,

Childrenusedmanyleavestogetherassledstoslidedownhillsides

Leavesusedaswhistles Olderplantshaveathick,

white,sweetrootthatwasanemergencyfoodsourceduringfamine

Allinformationwasgatheredfromthewebsite:http://www.canoeplants.com/

HawaiianEthnobotanyOnlinedatabasefromtheBishopMuseumisanotherdetailedresource.http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/index.asp

ThesewebsiteshaveallthenecessaryinformationtobeginresearchingthevariousplantsthatcameoverwiththeoriginalPolynesianvoyagerstoHawai‘i;howtheplantwasusedthen;andhowit’susedtoday.