Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 9, 1 September 2017 — Connecting to culture through food [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Connecting to culture through food

By Aliee Malepeai Silbanuz Morethanadecade ago, Kealoha Domingo was invited to attend ho'oku'ikahi ceremonies at Pu'ukoholā heiau. The experience was transformative, igniting his interest in forging deeper connections with Hawaiian culture. Where others found their cultural connections in hula or 'ōlelo, Kealoha found his niehe in preparing traditional Hawaiian foods. He finds joy in preparing food that is grown pono and ean nourish the body and na'au. As a chef and owner of the NuiKealoha catering eompany, Kealoha is well-known for his mouthwatering preparations of traditional Hawaiian foods. We met Kealoha at Papahana Kuaola where he serves as a board member. He's been involved with the 'āina restoration project since 2008. Surrounded by the beauty of Waipao, Kealoha shared how he has developed a richer connection to culture through food. Why are locally grown ingredients impoilanl to you? It shows an appreciation for the 'āina, and all the mana that it provides. That mana goes directly to the people who eat the food. It's empowering. It's reconnecting to the ancestors, to our kūpuna. Do you eook a lot with your family? I grew up with it around the house, from both ends of my family. My Chinese grandfather loved to eook. He always cooked these lavish meals for us. It kind of transferred to the rest of the family, all the way down to my son, even my liūle ones. For some reason, we

have this need to eook. We're always around food. Whether people realize it or not, it seems like hard work at times but it really brings the family together. For me, that's what keeps me motivated, knowing that it's nourishing people, and teaching the next generation exactly what we do. How does it make you feel to be able to feed your 'ohana food

llial you have had a hand in growing? Well, it's definitely something that we should all aspire for. For myself, on O'ahu, it's not as prevalent, but thanks to Papahana, I'm able to be a part of it. I wouldn't say I'm here every day tending to the weeds, but being active enough to support what happens here. It feels good to see the fruits of everyone's labor here. A lot of people put energy into the product here. Mālama 'āina is very rewarding. I always try to utilize ingredients that I know eame from here, that eame fromthis soil, that eame from these people. It is grown pono, and in a pono plaee. To me, it equals good food. Being able to see it through the whole process from keiki to harvest, it's like seeing your child grow up and go to college. It's rewarding, but it seems to taste a little better. The 'ono is there. Like when you catch your own fish. The 'ono is always better. ■

STEAMED 'ULU

> Rinse the whole 'ulu before cutting into quarters. > Fill nee pot with one ineh of water. > Wrap 'ulu with ti leaf or foil to keep the sap off of your pot. > Plaee in the pot and eook on brown rice cycle. *0r eook for 20 to 30 minutes in a pressure eooken > Onee cooked, remove skin and core. > Cut into slices and serve.

FIRE R0ASTED 'ULU > Rinse the whole 'ulu. > Plaee the whole 'ulu on to low burning coals. > Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. > Use a skewer to poke the 'ulu to test if done. Shouidbe soft anddry. > Carefully remove from fire and scrape or trim off charred skin. > Cut out core. Cut into slices and serve.

Recipes courtesy of Kealoha and Kahikinaokalā Domingo.

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Kealoha Domingo with his eldest son Kahikinaokalā. The father of four sees his role as that of a bridge helping to lead his keiki in the right direction and connect with the wisdom of our kūpuna. - Photos: Kaipo Kī'aha