Hawaii: The honorable ulu fruit

There is a Hawaiian legend regarding the ulu which tells the story of Kuka’ilimoku, a Hawaiian war god who was married to a mortal wife and was the father of many children. A terrible famine occurred, and the family was starving. Ku buried himself in the ground, and emerged as a hearty ulu tree. “Eat some, feed our children” he instructed his wife, thus saving his family and the village from starvation.

It is easy to identify the majestic ulu tree with its’ green, shiny leaf and the rough, oval fruit. In Hawai'i the fruit, which is also called ‘breadfruit’, is usually baked in an underground imu. The consistency is rather like a potato and the taste reminds people of bread.

Ulu is considered a ‘canoe plant’, meaning that due to its durability and ease of growing, it was used as a source of nourishment on long voyages and as a crop once the navigators reached land. Ulu is highly regarded in Hawaiian culture, not only for its nutrition, but also for its medicinal properties and versatile uses such as wood for canoes, fibers for fabric, and sap for waterproof caulking and, gum and insect repellant.

Our villagers can tell you about the many uses of our island plants, all you need to do is ask!