The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-05-02

to the depth of soil, situation, kind of
kalo, etc.
"When the crop was ripe" says
Prof. Alexander, talking OF ancient
DAYS, "the first fruits were offered to
the family gods on the proper day OF
the moon. Some of the food was
cooked together with red fish. The
family idol was brought, together
with the Pu o Lono, or sacred Gala
bash. Part of the food was Offered TO
the god, aud the rest was consumed
by the company; after this the field
or taro- patch was Rod or free"
Besides cultivating from the hulis
or TOYS OF the tuberous root-stock Of
the kalo, the plant could be grown
from the shoots or suckers which
spring up around the plant by the
time the tuber is about ripe. This
kind of second crop kalo is called
KdlO EdmQu or Pilimdi.
The upland taro is grown without
water, but, in order to retain the
moisture and protect the plant from
the sun, il is usual 10 surround the
Young plants with fern leaves and
dried grass. This serves both rs a
protection from the rays of the sun,
and also as a manure when The fern
leaves, etc, become sufficiently rotted.
The kalo thus grown in the noun
tains takes longer TO mature, and at
tains a much larger size than that
grown in the water on the lowlands.
The mountain taro is also OF drier
and mealier nature when cooked than
the acquatic varieties.
When the crop is ripe the roots are
pulled up by the hand, the huliS are cut
off and replanted for a fresh crop. The
whole process of cultivating kalO is
included in the term mahiai.
COOKING THE KALo.
Owing Il its hot and biting taste
and astringent qualities, the kaiO root
requires TO be cooked before it is hit
for food The process is performed
sby the natives) by means of steaming
in the common Polynesian under
ground oven. The oven (iBiu or UBlu)
is hole dug in the ground about /
feet wide with depth of say feet.
A number of stones averaging about
the size of mans fist, are spread
over the bottom of the pit, the
larger sized ones being ranged round
the sides, so as TO prevent the
earth falling in. \ quantity of dried
leaves and brushwoOd is then placed
above these stones and on the top
again OF the firewOOd is piled another
lot of stones. The firewoOd is lit and
after the stones at top and bottom are
thoroughly heated the stones at the
top are raked of, as also the unburnt
embers, ashes, etc. This is done with
a stick called ullRtHU, and the act OF
poking out the red-hot stones out OF
the ashes is called UyU. The kalo Is
now wrapped up in banana leaves or
leaves of the hOHOhORo loplismenus
compOsitus), and placed in the pit on
the top of the hot stones. Above the
taro is spread 4 covering OF leaves,
grass, etc. (kdmdEdmdkd) and hnally
on top of all is laid a thick covering OF
earth, old mats, etc. ikduWeLCcl.
Water is then poured on the top lbdt-
tCdi), the consequence being that a
great quantity of steam is generated,
which in the space of from half an
hour to one hour, according to the
quantity of food in the pit, thoroughly
cooks the contents of the oven, whe-
Their it be kalo, or pork, or breadfruit,
or fish. The whole process of baking
in the underground oven is termed
kahu, kdIud, or simply unlu. The
Chinese, who make a great deal OF the
poi sold in Honolulu, cook their taro
in large wooden box provided with
an iron grating below, and use for fuel
some cheap stuff, such as rice husks.