Excerpt from Diary number 6: “Melancholic memories from an intriguing time of growth in the life of Georgia Clair.”
Growing up in Australia, there werenʻt many traditional practices that were passed down through my family. My siblings and I are only second-generation Australians; with our Grandparents fleeing World War two and coming to Australia, they immersed themselves in the Australian culture to fit in.
I moved to Hawaiʻi in 2017, eager to study in an environment that was such a melting pot of strong cultures. When the pandemic shut the borders, I could not see my biological family and began volunteering in Ahupuaʻa O Kahana. Quickly I found myself with a Hanai family, which was the biggest blessing I have ever received.
My Hanai family's connection to the land I find intensely engaging; after helping them tend to the land, I would sit down and write while everyone talked story. The topics ranged from folklore stories, ethnobotanical discussions (I distinctly recall an intriguing conversation on all the uses for Noni leaves!) and various other topics. The chance to be involved and accepted into a culture that is not your own is an extreme gift.
Many incredible stories of my Hanai families connect to the land, especially with Ahupuaʻa O Kahana being their home and one of the last functioning Ahupuaʻa out of the 81 that were initially on the island. Below is an excerpt from my journal detailing a small snippet of an inspiring ride.
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It was a lazy afternoon horse-riding with my Hanai Aunty deep in the tranquil Kahana Valley mountain trails or the Mauka part of the Ahupuaʻa. Riding together is something we often do; it gives us a chance to talk story and check the trails are safe for hikers. But this particular time, we struck up an intriguing conversation that I had to detail.
I had asked my Aunty her favourite thing to eat, a simple enough question! Mid-sentence, while describing her mothers Philipino cooking Aunty stopped talking and looked to her left.
“Do you smell that?” she asked me with a slight smile that Iʻll never forget like she was going to tell me her best-kept secret. We were up in the mountains on horseback, so there was a flood of scents: petrichor scents, equine scents, but nothing out of the ordinary, so I said as much.
Aunty dismounted, asked me to hold her horse - Tucker - and disappeared off the trail. I sat there quizically until she returned minutes later with her hands full of small round cherry-red fruit. I was stunned; the foliage was so thick, the colour of the fruit was so distinct; how could I not see it, and how did she find them?
Thrilled, I was handed the fruit and told this was Strawberry Guava. The thick red flesh split juicily in half to reveal a cream inside with dense seeds. It was sweet and refreshing; I loved the taste, but most overwhelming was the sweet fragrance the fruit emitted.
“Remember that smell; when the fruit falls, it rots, and the smell gets stronger!” Aunty excitedly told me whilst back on Tucker.
For the rest of the ride, we found Lilikoi fruit (again, by smell!) Mountain apples (by recognising the leaves) and my absolute favourite Ulu (again by leaf recognition!) This ethnobotanical knowledge of the land Aunty had, had been passed down through generations was thrilling to learn; finding food was almost instinctual!
After the ride, we sat down to talk story while the horses were eating their dinner. Now I had my journal and quickly drew the leaves we had seen, label them, and describe the fruit we had found. Waiting until I had finished documenting, Aunty began to lay out a recipe for the Ulu.
I left the ranch and cooked myself Ulu for dinner, reminiscing on the day and reflecting on what I had learned. I am incredibly grateful for the acceptance, love and cultural knowledge that my Hanai family provides for me.
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Auntyʻs Ulu:
1 x Ulu (or use a half, but youʻll need to adjust the cooking time!)
Butter to taste (vegan if that’s your cup of tea!)
Salt and pepper to season
Place the whole ulu in a plastic bag
Microwave on HIGH for ten minutes
Open the door and let the bag cool
Cut open your ulu, garnish with salt, pepper, butter or whatever your heart desires!
Enjoy!