Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 10, 1 October 1999 — Taro Gets the Thumbs Up at Local Festival in Haleiwa [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Taro Gets the Thumbs Up at Local Festival in Haleiwa

PEOPLE WERE lining up to pound poi and sample unique laulau creations at the first Waialua Taro Festival held on Sept. 18 at the Waialua Community Association Center in Hale'iwa. The festival showcased educational and cultural displays, a huh (baby taro plant) sale, narrated trolley tours, a student art display, farmers' market, arts & crafts and more.

The 1999 Aloha Festivals Royal Court kicked-off the taro celebration while various hula halau and loeal entertainers provided entertainment. Emmaline Causey's Laulau won first plaee in the laulau recipe contest. Her recipe included Frank Food Oven Ready Pork Butt, salted salmon,

and butterfish. Waianae resident Beverly Wong placed second with her Oriental Laulau and third plaee went to Waialua Elementary School's Hawaiian Academy class for its Zesty Pake Laulau. "The festival really pulled the community together," said Helen Bajo, festival coordinator. "People are already offering to volunteer next year." Hui Kalo 'O Waialua, a communitybased nonprofit organiza-

tion promoting taro cultivation in Waialua and Hale'iwa, organized the event. Sponsors included Aloha Festivals '99, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate and Queen Lihuokalani Children's Center. ■

PHOIO: WAIALUA TARO FESTIVAL