The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-08-04

Hawaii has nearly a thousand miles
Of coast line; as consequence the
native Hawaiians are skillful and dar
ing fishermen and sailors, as we'll as
splendid swimmers. The Hawaiians,
like the Japanese, are fond of almost
all the products of the sea, and, like
them, prize the seaweed very highly
for food. Ancient Hawaiians probably
seldom ate a meal without some kind
of limu ork sea weed, and even to-day
no Hawaiian feast is considered quito
complete without several varieties
served as a relish with meats or poi.
Many tons of these seaweeds are
gathered and eaten by the Hawaiians
annually, besides large quantities are
imported from the orient and San
Francisco for the consumption of both
the Japanese and Chinese. The sea
weed sold in Honolulu alone mounts
annually to thousands of dollars.
Before the coming of the white man
to these islands the diet of the poorer
Hawaiians was largely poi, fish and
limu. Even poi was scarce in times
of war or famine, and then the poorer
fishermen contented themselves with
only fish and limu. Sometimes for
weeks no other vegetable food could
be obtained but limu, which can be
gathered all the year, except during
very severe storms. Sweet potatoes.
taro, and bananas could only be grown
in the good soil, where there was
plenty of rain or sufficient water for
irrigation. Many of the fishing viii
lagos had no fertile land near them, so
these people were compelled to go to
the mountain valleys to secure all
their food except what they f1shed
from the sea. Until the death of
en- suffered the death penalty if they
ate bananas, cocoanuts, turtles, pork,
or certain fish, so that their diet was
even more limited than that of the
men. They must have suffered great
ly during times of famine and war,
when their only food came from the
sea. Before the coming of the mis-
sionaries there were no fruits except
bananas, cocoanuts, and the mountain
apple, and none of these were ever
abundant except the mountain apple
or ohia, which is plentiful only during
July and August in the mountain val
legs wherever there is a heavy rain
fall.
There are over 20 distinct species of
algae or limu used for food by the
Hawaiians OF these 20 species not
more than 40 are in general use. The
other 80 or 35 are used only by few
people in certain small areas where
they are found in limited quantities.
There are perhaps a dozen or more
common species of algae, mostly ma
rine, that are termed by the Hawaiians
simply limu, or with some descriptive
appellation, like limu make, meaning
poisonous limu. Each edible limu
has it's own special appellation be-
sides the generic name limu with
which it is combined either as a de-
scriptive adjective or as sufix.
Most of the limu is gathered by ma
tive women and children, except that
which grows in the deeper or rougher
water. far out on the coral reefs, or
on exposed rocks, where expert swim
ming and more strength are required,
and also where boat is usually
needed. In such places at least two
people are required, and often party
of three or more men and women go
together The women usually gather
the limu while the men are fishing
and caring for the boat and nets.
The limu gatherers go out at low
tide with tin pals, old sacks, and
pieces of sharpened iron or an old
knife, and scrape the seaweed from
the coral or rocks. The seaweed is
freed from sand and pebbles and each
kind placed in a separate receptacle,
if possible.
Immediately after gathering the
limu it is very carefully washed,
either in salt or fresh water, to re-
move all sand, mud, or clinging mol.
lusks and crustaceans. The Hawaiian
women are most particular about this