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Waipi‘o: Mano Wai (Source of Life)
Taro patch in Waipi‘o Valley, 1978. In pre-Captain Cook times, taro played a vital role in Hawaiian culture. It was not only the Hawaiians’ staple food but also the source of many myths. (COH photo.)
Since ancient times, Waipi‘o Valley has been blessed with abundant water to cultivate wetland taro, the Hawaiian peoples’ staff of life. Taro cultivation was the core of Hawaiian civilization. The ‘ohana (family) cooperated in the spirit of ho‘olaulima (working together).
“You need a lot of hands. And a family unit working together is about the strongest bond that you can find.” —Ellaham Toko
In the last 200 years, Waipi‘o has experienced many changes: new ownership of the land, assimilation of other ethnic groups into the indigenous Hawaiian population, and the shift from subsistence taro farming to market production.
A community of 300 people thrived in the early 1900s. But economic factors, floods and a tidal wave caused an exodus from the valley in the 1940s. Families moved up the pali (cliff) to Kukuihaele and farmed taro part-time.
“I think a farmer has to rely on nature. . . . Nature not with you, you just out of luck. One disease can sweep you clean, one flood can sweep you clean.” —Nelson Chun
At the time of the interviews in 1978, although not more than 125 acres were in taro—a fraction of what was cultivated in ancient times—Waipi‘o was the second largest taro producer in the state. It faced with many problems: taro rot, a declining labor force, and the need for more cooperation in the agricultural community.
“We could be a family as a whole, in Waipi‘o Valley, if everyone cooperated together. We could get better prices, we wouldn’t have the problems we have right now. We have to get quantity to get some action from any agency, federal government, state. This way we have only one or two people, we don’t get nothing.” —Merrill Toledo
Still, the natural beauty of the valley continued to inspire.
“I don’t know how long I live, but if God willing that I be able to go into Waipi‘o at, say, age 80 or 85, still able to see, I really would like to see taro leaves still shaking in the wind.” —Roy Toko
Albert Kalani describes the generosity of Waipi‘o people (.au sound file, 182K).
Interviewees
- Ainsworth, Gloria, 33, substitute teacher, part-time taro farmer
- Ainsworth, Sydney, 30, high school teacher, part-time taro farmer
- Anderson, Don, 71, keeper of taro collection, Lyon Arboretum
- Araki, Tom, 68, hotel owner, taro farmer
- Batalona, Joseph, 56, sugar company employee, part-time taro farmer
- Batalona, Ka‘ai, 24, part-time taro farmer
- Chang, Leslie, 64, poi (staple of cooked and pounded taro corm) shop owner
- Chun, Nelson, 77, taro, water chestnut, and lotus farmer
- Duldulao, Fannie, 66, taro farmer
- Farm, George, 69, taro farmer
- Gravett, Lance, 33, artist, taro worker
- Hall, Rachel, 62, O‘ahu taro farmer
- Kaaekuahiwi, Ted, 50, school custodian, part-time taro hauler and farmer
- Kahele, Robert, 60, taro farmer
- Kala, Joe, 64, taro farmer
- Kalani, Albert, 69, county parks and recreation worker
- Kanekoa, Cynthia, 31, homemaker, part-time taro farmer
- Kanekoa, Ronald, 37, sugar company crane operator, part-time taro farmer
- Kanekoa, William, 64, taro farmer
- Kaneshiro, Lloyd, 21, university student
- Kaneshiro, Seiko, 53, poi shop owner, taro farmer
- Kanuha, Haunani, 21, homemaker
- Kawashima, Sueichi, 50, carpenter, part-time taro farmer
- Loo, John, 51, city & county employee, part-time taro farmer, poi factory agent
- Luhnow, Bill, 25, part-time taro farmer
- Maehira,Yubon, 56, trucker, part-time taro farmer
- Makaoi, David, 73, high school teacher
- Mock Chew, Samuel, 54, sugar company supervisor, part-time taro farmer
- Ngayan, Meliton, 66, sugar company worker, taro worker
- Peterson, Cheryl, 26, artist, taro leaf picker
- Revilla, Robert, 21, poi shop worker
- Schreiber, Tom, 38, vegetable farmer
- Takahashi, Lanny, 43, carpenter, part-time taro farmer
- Thomas, Rachel, 60, taro farmer
- Toko, Cindi, 23, community college student
- Toko, Ellaham, 24, company employee
- Toko, Roy, 44, county parks and recreation employee, part-time taro farmer
- Toko, Shirley, 34, nurse’s aide, part-time taro farmer
- Toledo,Merrill, 42, taro farmer
- Tottori, Ernest, 44, poicompany owner-manager
- Zygutis, Patti, 26, homemaker, mother
Interviewers
- Lee, Vivien, project coordinator
- Yoshinaga, Yukie, researcher-interviewer
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