The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-05
HAWAIIAN POL.
How it is Described by the Calls Cor
respondent.

The following from Miss knapp's |
pen, appears in a recent Call:
Poi is a dish that must long remain
p peculiar to the Hawaiian Islands-al. |
ways in fact, unless some means is con.
trived for preserving taro so that it will
stand export. Poi is made from tarc,
a root resembling the turnip. 1t grows
in the water with large, handsome |
green leaf, and is almost tasteless |
There is also an upland taro cultivated
in the mountains by the natives which
has a more decided taste, and which,
as | learned to my cost on tasting it
raw, bites the throat like horseradish.
The low taro is the chief vegetable in
the island, and in early days constitut-
ed the natives principal crop. When
cooked it assumes a notified, gray and
white appearance, very like the lava
rock that abounds everywhere in the
islands. The process of manufacturing
the poi is quite a lengthy one. A great
hole is dug in the ground, and into this
the taro roots are placed around piles
Of hot stones. The earth is then heap
ed over the place and the taro left to
steam. When the taro is thoroughly
cooked, which is often several hours,
the roots are dug out again, peeled and
put into a huge stone receptacle, in
which they are pounded to pulp,
This work is performed by the men. 1t
is an arduous task, and on hot day
land nearly all days are hot in the ISL
ands) the pounding Of poi is scene
over which it is advisable to draw a
veil. The poi.pounder not only earns
his bread by the sweat of his brow, but
mixes it as we'll largely by the aid Of
that fluid
The "poi of commerce" is now made
by machinery. The. natives, however.
still make their own. When the mass
is thoroughly beaten and smoothed it
is mixed with water, to the proper con-
sistency, about like good thick paste,
strained through a coarse cloth and set
away for two or three days, until it be-
gins to ferment, when it is ready to be
eaten. 1t then tastes little like but
termilk, and it is very nutritious and
wholesome. The natives eat it by the
gallon. Give the average native big
pot of poi, half dozen raw fish and a
bottle of gin, and you may have the
kingdom and the rest Of the earth as
well. He will squat upon the ground,
break the head off one of the fish, take
bite from its raw side, pack it in a
mouthful of poi and wash the whole
down with swallow of gin, and repeat
the process until all have disappeared.
Singularly enough, revolving as this
sounds, the actual scene is far from
being disgusting. l have watched a
dozen natives feeding thus, all dipping
poi from the same calabash, and seen
less dainty and clearly table manners
in many a backwoods hotel in the
States. Why we should swallow raw
oyster without winking and SILVER at
the thought of raw fish is one of the
mysteries of esthetics few can solve.
OF course readers of The CALL will
understand that only the poorer class
of natives live thus. To be sure, all,
from the Queen down, eat poi. saw
a notice among the regulations at the
palace forbidding any smoking in the
poi department, and bids are made
and contracts let for supplying poi to
the hospitals and other public institu-
tons on the islands, as milk is provided
at home; but, with such local differ.
ences as might exist, say between New
York and San Francisco, the houses of
the wellto-do natives in the Islands are
about what such would be in the States,
a little more luxurious, perhaps, but
certainly not less so. One may meet
here among the natives as elegant,
polished and attractive ladies and gen.
tlemen as are to be found at home,
and every one, from the highest to the
lowest, has for the stranger kindly,
gentle, courteous greeting that is as
touching as it is delightful. The
natives, with but few exceptions, are
fine specimens of humanity, muscular,
clearly, with pleasing features and fine
eyes. Their habitual expression is
grave, almost melancholy, but when
you meet a group, on the highway,
even, every face will smile upon you as
lyou pass and every head will nod &C.
compartment to the beautiful national
greeting "Aloha."