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Birds and Plants of Kauai:
Kalo is Haloa - The ancestor of the
Hawaiians
by Linda Pascatore on 21 October 2007
Taro (Kalo), or Colocasia esculenta, is one of the earliest cultivated
plants. It is the traditional staple food plant of Hawaii and many
Polynesian Islands.
Taro is rich in vitamins and minerals, and provides starch, which makes
it a good food plant. The plant is used in India, Nepal, China, Japan,
Africa, and Indonesia, and throughout Polynesia. In fact, about 10% of
the world population uses taro or similar plants as a staple food.
Taro has large green elongated heart-shaped leafs and green, red or
black stems. It grows several feet high. The bulbous root or corm is
the primary food starch plant, but the leaves are also eaten.
Baby plants grow out of the base of the corm. When harvesting taro, the
huli, which is the top of the corm and part of the stem, is cut off and
replanted, eventually forming a whole new corm for harvesting. The taro
plant has virtually lost its ability to flower or reproduce in the
wild, which is one reason it is considered one of the oldest plants in
cultivation.
Taro probably originated in Malaysia. It was in cultivation in parts of
India by 5000 BC, and from there was brought to Egypt and mentioned in
ancient Greek and Roman histories. Taro also spread east to China and
Indonesia, and was eventually brought as a canoe plant by the
Polynesians to Hawaii.
There are 87 different varieties of taro, including Chinese or dry land
taro. The wetland taro is grown in a loi or enclosed bed filled with
water. Dryland taro can be grown in rich soil with enough moisture, but
does not have to be under water.
The taro root, which can be white or reddish in color, can be boiled,
steamed, baked, or made into poi. It is also fried and made into taro
chips. Taro burgers have recently become popular with vegetarians.
Taro contains needle-like raphides, or calcium oxalate crystals, which
irritate the throat, so taro must be cooked thoroughly before eating.
Taro leaves should be boiled at least 45 minutes, and the root or corm
should be boiled for at least an hour.
Poi is made by peeling the cooked corm and pounding the taro on a
wooden board, with a stone pounder. This produces a thick paste, which
is dried. Then water is added, the taro is kneaded, and then aged. It
was traditionally eaten with the fingers, and is called one-finger,
two-finger, or three-finger poi, depending on how thick it is. Taro
leaves are eaten as greens, or used to wrap other foods like lau-lau
for steaming.
Taro has smaller starch grains rich in amylose, which makes it more
digestible than other starches. It is a good food for those with
digestive problems, babies, and those with food allergies. Taro is
higher in protein than potatoes, and rich in calcium, phosphorus, and
vitamins A and C.
Taro, or Kalo, is sacred to the Hawaiians. The stem of the kalo is
called Ha or breath, and the place where the stem meets the leaf is
called the piko, or navel. The stem itself is ha, or breath. The young
shoots that surround the mother plant are the keiki, or children; and
together they form the ohana, or family.
According to legend, the Sky Father, Wakea, and the Earth Mother, Papa,
had a stillborn son named Haloa-naka. After Haloa-naka was buried, the
kalo plant grew from his grave. Haloa is another name for kalo or taro,
and it means everlasting breath. Later, humans were created from the
same union, and were sustained by the food provided by their older
brother, Haloa.Production of taro in the Hawaiian islands has gone from
14 million pounds in 1948 to 4 million in 2005. Loss of agricultural
land to development accounts for most of this decrease. However, the
exotic apple snail and the fungus Phytophthora have also caused
declines in the taro harvest.
A more recent and insidious threat comes from Genetic Engineering. The
GMO industry has made Hawaii the site of large open field
experimentation, endangering many native species with this unproven and
potentially dangerous tampering with mother nature. Genetically
modifying taro could endanger the entire species because of cross
contamination, which could be irreversible. It also threatens the taro
market, since so many countries in the world have bans on Genetically
Modified Organisms (GMO).
In 2002, the University of Hawaii patented the rights to three
varieties of traditional Hawaiian taro, and the next year began to
research genetic engineering of taro. After years of protests by Native
Hawaiians taro growers, and Hawaii Seed, the university dropped its
patents on taro in 2006. However, they continue to experiment with
Chinese varieties of taro.
Groups seeking to protect kalo have introduced legislation for a ten
year moratorium on genetic engineering of taro. Despite a protest in
the state capitol, the legislation was stuck in committee in 2006.
However, an action is being planned to promote this legislation at the
opening of the next session in January, 2008.
For more information on Genetic Modification of Taro and action you can
take to prevent it, go to:
http://www.hawaiiseed.org
PROTECT HALOA THE TARO
Support SB 958
Senate Bill 958 asks for a 10 year moratorium on developing, testing,
propagating, cultivating, growing, and raising genetically engineered
taro in the state of Hawaii.
Please submit written testimont for SB 958:
email - par@capital.hawaii.gov
fax - (808) 587-0793 The Public Access Rom
in person at the State Capital -
415 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii
for more bill info visit:
www.capital.hawaii.gov
We will announce the date of the hearing when it is scheduled in
January 2008.
The hearings are announced 48 hours prior to the hearing date. Prepare
your letter or testimony now and add the committee, date and room
number later.
Stop
the University of Hawaii's research to insert DNA from wheat, rice and
grapevine into our taro!
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see also:
Island Breath:
Island
Breath: Backyard Taro farming 5/24/07
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