Kauai History and Poi

The Hawaiian word for health, as well as the word for life, is ola, as it was their belief that health and life were one and same. Ancient Hawaiians were strong farmers, fishermen, hunters, and gatherers who relied upon a diversity of foods to keep them physically, mentally, and spiritually fit. They cultivated crops, hunted birds and pigs, gathered vines and ferns, practiced net and deep sea fishing, collected shrimp, shellfish, and seaweed. And with taro being one of the most nutritious carbohydrates known, the traditional Hawaiian diet may have been one of the best in the world. It was a simple, high starch, high fiber, low saturated fat, low sodium, and low cholesterol diet.

Taro was the backbone of the ancient diet and they ate it in several forms, but the most common way was as poi. As with all food preparation, men did the pounding. Sitting on the ground at one end of a pounding board, the pounder began with a pile of cooked taro and a bowl of water. Handfuls of water kept the board and stone pounder moist as taro was added to the board and pounded into a paste. If the paste (pa`i `ai) was to be stored or transported, it was made with very little water. When it was time to eat the pa`i `ai, a small quantity was mixed up into poi. Poi was then served in bowls and eaten with one or two fingers.

Poi was also made from breadfruit, sweet potato, or banana. Hawaiians also cooked a variety of foods in a pudding form made with coconut cream and shredded coconut meat. Adding different proportions of coconut to sweet potato or breadfruit, wrapping in ti leaves and cooking in an imu, produced firm, sweet, nutritious foods. After cooking, it was cooled and cut into slices that were then dried in the sun. Poi had great significance in the Hawaiian culture, and there was a great reverence for the presence of poi at the table. It was unforgivable to have a quarrel, argue, or haggle when poi was on the table.