Kalo, Our Family
Kalo, also known as taro, is more than just a food source for Native Hawaiians. It is a symbol of our family in more than one way. First, we look at the plant itself, where the word for family (ohana) comes from. The little offshoots are called oha, and na is a pluralizer. The larger plant that the oha comes from is called the makua, or parent. So we have the makua with its many oha, or offshoots, eventually becoming their own makua, producing more oha. And the cycle continues. This is not the only way that the Kalo is a symbol of our family. It's also in one of our creations mo'olelo (story). Papa and Wakea are earth's mother...