At the Polynesian Cultural Center in Lāʻie on Oʻahu’s north shore, a working loʻi kalo — a flooded taro patch — sits at the heart of the Hawaiian cultural village. It is not decorative. The four loʻi sections are planted, harvested, and replanted on a cycle that has been maintained since Lono Logan took over as keeper of the kalo plants in 2017, using methods he learned from his grandmother and from teacher Jerry Konanui, who passed down practices developed by mahiʻai (farmers) across eight generations of cultivation. Standing beside a working loʻi, it’s easier to understand why kalo occupies the position it does in Hawaiian culture — not as a crop, but as a relative.
This article covers the origin story of kalo, how it was farmed in ancient Hawaiʻi, what the different varieties mean in practice, how it’s prepared and eaten, and where you can engage with it as a visitor today. Understanding kalo gives you a more grounded read on Hawaiian food, agriculture, land rights, and cultural identity than most other entry points can.
An estimated 300 cultivars of kalo were known to the Hawaiians — a figure that reflects centuries of deliberate agricultural development across the islands’ varied growing conditions.
Kalo is the central food plant of ancient Hawaiʻi, but its significance goes well beyond agriculture. Hawaiian origin stories describe kalo as the elder brother of mankind — the first-born child who died and became the first taro plant. That relationship between kalo and Hawaiian identity is still active: in debates over land use, in loʻi restoration projects, and in the food served at every lūʻau. For visitors, the Polynesian Cultural Center in Lāʻie offers the most accessible working loʻi, while the Mānoa Heritage Center provides excellent context in Honolulu.
Kalo in Hawaiian origin stories and culture
Kalo’s position in Hawaiian culture is inseparable from the creation story that places it as the elder sibling of the Hawaiian people themselves.
The moʻolelo (story) describes how Wākea, a sky father, and Hoʻohōkūkalani had a stillborn child named Hāloanakalaukapalili. Wākea buried the child at the corner of his house. From that burial, the first kalo plant grew. Their second child, Hāloa, became the ancestor of the Hawaiian people. This places kalo not as a food crop but as an older brother — something owed respect, care, and reciprocity. In Hawaiian culture, kalo is literally regarded as the elder brother of mankind, a framing that shaped every aspect of how it was grown, handled, and consumed.
In practical terms, this origin story meant that working in the loʻi carried ceremonial weight. Lono Logan instructs workers entering the loʻi at the Polynesian Cultural Center not to do so while experiencing negative thoughts or emotions — a continuation of the understanding that the plant is kin, not commodity. Kalo was pulled up, cooked, and mashed almost every day in old Hawaiʻi. It was a mainstay of the diet. It was also used as medicine and in ritual. The cultural layering is not incidental.
The English name for the plant is taro, scientifically identified as Colocasia esculenta. Evidence of its cultivation reaches back to records of taro farming in Egypt around 500 B.C. and China around 100 B.C. Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian voyagers carried it across the Pacific — to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and eventually Hawaiʻi. It is known as dasheen in the Caribbean and cocoyam in parts of Africa. The Hawaiian relationship with kalo is distinct in the cultural weight it carries, even within that broad Pacific tradition.
Cultivars of kalo known to the Hawaiians — developed across wet loʻi paddies, dry upland gardens, and coastal growing conditions.
Where to see kalo cultivation in Hawaiʻi today
The Polynesian Cultural Center loʻi in Lāʻie
The Polynesian Cultural Center sits in Lāʻie on Oʻahu’s north shore, roughly an hour’s drive from Honolulu via the H-3 freeway and Kamehameha Highway. The working loʻi here consists of four sections, each filled with about 12 inches of nutrient-rich lepo (taro mud) that takes years to develop, with a few inches of water flowing above it. The wetland ecosystem is engineered on a slight slope to distribute water to all four sections — a design that mirrors the traditional engineering of mountain-to-lowland irrigation systems that ancient mahiʻai were known for. Small fish and other organisms live in the loʻi, making it a functioning ecosystem rather than a static display.
One section had been harvested to provide food for the crew of Iosepa, a traditional voyaging canoe. Replanting after harvest is timed around the dissipation of methane gas produced during decomposition — a detail that underlines how practical and procedural traditional kalo farming was. This is the most accessible working loʻi for visitors on Oʻahu. The PCC is open to day visitors and the cultural village includes demonstrations. Parking is available on-site. Families with children will find it one of the more concrete and engaging presentations of Hawaiian agriculture available, because the plants are actually in the ground and the farming is real.
Ethan spent a long time peering into the loʻi trying to spot the fish Lono Logan’s crew had described — the loʻi ecosystem is genuinely interesting to small children in a way that signage-only exhibits rarely are.
Mānoa Heritage Center, Honolulu
The Mānoa Heritage Center in the Mānoa Valley above Honolulu provides cultural and botanical context for kalo through its preserved loʻi and garden spaces. Mānoa Valley has significant historical associations with Hawaiian agriculture, and the Heritage Center’s kalo resources include documented variety profiles and cultural interpretation. It’s a more compact visit than the PCC — suitable as a morning stop before heading north, or as a standalone cultural destination for visitors staying in Honolulu who want to understand kalo beyond what a lūʻau plate tells them. The valley itself is easily reached from central Honolulu in roughly 20 minutes by car.
For context before visiting either site, the Bishop Museum in Honolulu maintains the story of Hawaiian food history, including kalo’s role as a dietary foundation, in its collections and educational resources.
Kalo grows in both loʻi kalo (flooded paddies fed by running water) and upland dry gardens watered by rain. Different varieties suit different conditions — some prefer fresh-water beds, some grow well near the sea, and some do better in drier places. The diversity of Hawaiian cultivars reflects centuries of matching plant genetics to specific microclimates across the islands.
Understanding kalo varieties and traditional farming methods
Varieties grown in Hawaiʻi
Of the more than 200 identified kalo varieties, the range in flesh color, texture, cooking time, and cultural use is significant. Some varieties have white flesh; others are beige. Some cook quickly; others require considerably longer preparation. Lehua maoli is distinguished by its pink color and is used for ornamental and ceremonial purposes alongside its edible applications. The variety most commonly cultivated and most widely distributed in Hawaiʻi today is often simply called Kalo — it is the type most visitors encounter in poi and taro-based foods.
The harvested corm — the largest edible part of the root — is cut so that at least one ʻoha (side shoot) remains at the base, with roughly a quarter inch below the collar of the root left intact. This remaining section, called the kōhina, is used for replanting. Most kalo varieties can be replanted up to three times before the planting material is considered spent. This cycle of harvest and replanting is what the loʻi at the PCC embodies in its operational routine.
Loʻi kalo and irrigation systems
Traditional Hawaiian irrigated kalo systems were engineering achievements. Mahiʻai were admired for building terraced loʻi that allowed cold fresh water to flow from upper to lower sections, maintaining the water quality and temperature that kalo requires. Early Polynesian settlers likely began by planting taro along streams, beside springs, and in semi-marshy areas with flowing fresh water. Over centuries, this developed into the sophisticated terraced paddy systems that covered significant portions of valley floors on multiple islands.
Urbanization in Hawaiʻi has led to the loss of much fertile land and the diversion of natural water sources needed to maintain loʻi fields. This is not a historical problem — it’s ongoing. Taro beetle and taro blight remain active threats to cultivation. Conservation efforts currently include loʻi restoration projects, sustainable agriculture promotion, and the development of disease-resistant varieties. Educational programs across the islands are working to raise awareness, particularly among younger generations.
Improperly prepared parts of some kalo plants can trigger allergic reactions due to calcium oxalate crystals present in the raw plant. Young kalo leaves must be thoroughly boiled until allergens are broken down before eating. Stems require similar treatment. Never eat raw kalo — including raw leaves, stems, or corms — regardless of variety.
How kalo is prepared and eaten in Hawaiʻi
Poi, paʻi ʻai, and traditional preparations
The most familiar preparation is poi. Making it begins with steaming the corm to loosen the outer skin, then mashing the cooked kalo with a pōhaku kuʻi ʻai (stone pounder) to produce paʻi ʻai — a dense, stiff paste. Adding water to paʻi ʻai produces poi, which ranges in consistency from thick and creamy to thin and runny depending on how much water is incorporated. Fresh poi is rich in vitamins, fiber, and probiotics. Traditionally, Hawaiians also cooked taro corms in an underground imu oven, wrapped in ti leaves.
Beyond poi, kalo’s uses in Hawaiian cuisine are extensive. Boiled kalo leaves are called luʻau and can be wrapped around pork, butterfish, or chicken with ti leaves to make laulau. Kūlolo — a dessert — is made from kalo corm flesh, sugar, and coconut milk wrapped in ti leaves. Taro chips are made by slicing and frying the corm. Taro flour is used in muffins, buns, and breads. Haupia can be infused with taro. Taro milk tea is a more recent preparation combining taro with milk and tapioca pearls. The breadth of applications reflects kalo’s historical versatility as a staple rather than a specialty ingredient.
Kalo’s nutritional and medicinal properties
Kalo is an excellent source of dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. It is naturally gluten-resistant, which makes taro flour a useful ingredient in gluten-free baking. Poi contains probiotics, making fresh poi particularly valued for digestive health. The medicinal uses extend beyond food: kalo stems were historically used to treat insect bites, stop bleeding, treat infections, and dye kapa (barkcloth). Thinned poi was used as an adhesive to glue pieces of kapa together — an application that underlines how thoroughly the plant was integrated into daily material life.
| Preparation | Part of plant used | Method | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poi | Corm | Steam, pound, add water | Dietary staple; probiotic-rich |
| Paʻi ʻai | Corm | Steam, pound without water | Dense paste; base for poi |
| Luʻau | Leaves | Thorough boiling | Cooked greens; used in laulau |
| Kūlolo | Corm flesh | Mixed with coconut milk, sugar, ti leaves | Traditional dessert |
| Taro chips | Corm | Sliced, fried | Snack food |
| Taro flour | Corm | Dried, milled | Baking ingredient (muffins, buns, breads) |
| Laulau | Leaves | Wrapped around meat, steamed | Traditional main dish |
| Medicinal stem use | Stems | Applied or cooked | Treat bites, infections; stop bleeding |
One common misunderstanding worth addressing: taro milk tea and taro chips are not traditional preparations — they are modern adaptations that have become widespread in Hawaiʻi and across Asia. They are genuinely made from taro, but experiencing them does not give you a sense of kalo’s traditional role. For that, fresh poi or kūlolo from a source that uses locally grown kalo is the more direct experience.
- Never eat raw kalo in any form — calcium oxalate crystals in the uncooked plant cause allergic reactions and require thorough cooking to neutralise. This applies to leaves, stems, and corms.
- The Polynesian Cultural Center in Lāʻie maintains the most accessible working loʻi kalo on Oʻahu, farmed on a real agricultural cycle by practitioners using traditional methods — it is a genuine living example, not a replica.
- Poi quality varies significantly: fresh poi made from locally grown kalo is nutritionally richer and flavourally more complex than the processed commercial versions widely served at tourist-facing venues.
Questions travellers ask about kalo in Hawaiʻi
What is the difference between kalo and taro?
They are the same plant — Colocasia esculenta. Kalo is the Hawaiian name; taro is the English name used broadly across the Pacific, the Caribbean (where it is also called dasheen), and parts of Africa (where it is called cocoyam). In Hawaiʻi, kalo is the culturally preferred term, carrying the spiritual and ancestral meaning that the English word does not.
Using kalo rather than taro in Hawaiian contexts is a small signal of cultural awareness that locals generally appreciate. When ordering food or asking about the plant at markets or farms, either term is understood.
Can visitors eat poi in Hawaiʻi and where?
Poi is widely available at lūʻau, Hawaiian plate lunch restaurants, and farmers’ markets across the islands. Quality and freshness vary considerably. Fresh poi — made from locally grown kalo and consumed within a day or two — is noticeably different from commercially processed versions that have been sitting in packaging.
For the best access to fresh, locally produced poi, farmers’ markets with vendors who grow their own kalo are more reliable than tourist-focused lūʻau. The PCC in Lāʻie sometimes offers taro-based foods connected to their active loʻi programme.
How many taro varieties exist in Hawaiʻi?
Hawaiians developed an estimated 300 cultivars of kalo over centuries of agricultural practice. More than 200 varieties have been formally identified. They vary in flesh color (white to beige and pink), cooking time, flavor, texture, and preferred growing conditions — whether wet loʻi paddies, coastal areas, or drier upland gardens.
Lehua maoli, with its pink flesh, is used for ornamental and ceremonial purposes alongside eating. The variety most commonly encountered in food today is the widely cultivated standard Kalo.
Where can I see a working loʻi kalo?
The Polynesian Cultural Center in Lāʻie on Oʻahu’s north shore maintains a four-section working loʻi, roughly an hour’s drive from Honolulu via the H-3 and Kamehameha Highway. It is farmed by native practitioner Lono Logan using traditional methods. The Mānoa Heritage Center in Honolulu also offers loʻi access and is closer to central Honolulu — roughly 20 minutes by car from Waikīkī.
Various community restoration projects across the islands maintain loʻi, but access varies and is not always open to casual visitors. The PCC is the most reliably accessible option for independent travellers.
Is kalo safe to eat if you have a gluten intolerance?
Taro is naturally gluten-resistant, making taro flour a useful ingredient in gluten-free baking. Poi is also gluten-free in its basic form. However, some prepared taro foods — muffins, buns, or processed snacks — may contain added gluten ingredients, so check labels or ask about preparation methods before eating.
The more important safety note applies universally: raw kalo must never be eaten. Calcium oxalate crystals in uncooked kalo cause allergic reactions. All parts of the plant — corm, leaves, and stems — require thorough cooking before consumption.
Kalo is a useful lens for understanding Hawaiian culture because it connects origin stories, agricultural engineering, food systems, land rights, and contemporary conservation debates in a single plant. Families visiting Oʻahu will find the Polynesian Cultural Center’s working loʻi the most concrete entry point — it is a real farm, not a museum exhibit. Visitors interested in cultural depth rather than food alone will benefit from pairing a loʻi visit with time at the Mānoa Heritage Center or Bishop Museum in Honolulu. And anyone eating poi, laulau, or kūlolo during their trip now has a richer frame for what those dishes represent beyond what appears on the plate. If this was useful, you might also enjoy reading about Hawaiʻi’s broader food culture and local culinary traditions, which places kalo within the wider context of what Hawaiian food has become.
Sources and further reading
Brief history of taro in Hawaiʻi. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.
Kalo as the root of Hawaiian culture. Polynesian Cultural Center.
Kalo plant profile and cultivation. Mānoa Heritage Center.
A guide to taro in Hawaii. Nani Hawaii.