HANAPEPE — Eleven Japanese Boy Scouts troop members and seven of their adult leaders braved the blaring sun and humid South Shore weather recently to observe a rare cultural demonstration on harvesting Hawaiian salt. Given by former Kaua‘i Boy Scout
HANAPEPE — Eleven Japanese Boy Scouts troop members and seven of their adult leaders braved the blaring sun and humid South Shore weather recently to observe a rare cultural demonstration on harvesting Hawaiian salt.
Given by former Kaua‘i Boy Scout affiliate and salt-plot caretaker Masayoshi Fujita, the demonstration, performed at the state-owned Salt Pond Beach Park salt plots, began with a celeritous briefing in the parking lot, in which Fujita explained the importance of the highly-prized seasoning.
“Salt was very important to the ancient Hawaiians,” explained Fujita. “It was used to prepare and prolong the shelf life of foods, and was valued for other uses. Generation after generation of Hawaiians have tended to these plots, and now that it is owned by the state, they are free to use the salt plots. Nobody can work this place except for the Hawaiians,” he said.
“And in order to be able to come set up the salt plots and harvest the salt, you need to be invited by the Hawaiians, like me,” laughed Fujita, momentarily employing impeccable Japanese. “I am lucky that I am friends with some of the Hawaiians.”
Fujita, bearing plastic bags with samples containing varying types of Hawaiian salt in a woven wooden basket residing at his side, displayed the contents one by one as he gave a brief description of each.
Continuing his lecture, Fujita also provided listeners with background information about the white crystalline formations.
“Salt season is usually from June to September,” said Fujita. “In the winter and spring months, the salt-plot beds are flooded with sometimes up to three feet of rain and ocean water. So in other words, the formation of the salt beds depends upon the amount of water that comes in. This year, the salt season on Kaua‘i started in May,” he explained.
“We always need to redo the salt beds and wells, where the water comes up from, because of the rain. This year, there was a lot of rain, and the beds and wells needed to continuously be tended to. The overwhelming amount of water that flooded the plots this year came well-equipped with fish,” Fujita said.
“When we came to look at the beds and wells, there were lots of fish swimming in them.”
Fujita also noted the importance of brine shrimp to the salt ecosystem. “Quite often, there are lots of brine shrimp which inhabit the beds and wells. These brine shrimp are needed to produce quality salt.
“The A & B shrimp clean the water in the salt plots and wells, preventing an overload of algae growth, which would, obviously, ruin the product.”
With an interpreter on hand, the brisk lecture soon evolved into that of a question-and-answer forum, much to the delight of the Boy Scout adult leaders, who initiated the session.
Then it was time for the Scouts, their leaders, and the rest of the onlookers present, to go to the source.
Carrying a couple of salt-rearing implements, Fujita lead the way. The treasured granules, which lay scattered in their respective salt plots and muddy imprints of the shallow landscape, glittered as the group plowed their way through claylike clumps of the infamous Kaua‘i red dirt to catch a glimpse of Fujita’s shared salt plot.
Muriel Yoshimoto, a friend of Fujita’s, explained — that Fujita shares his plot with three other friends. “As for my husband and I, we’re just tagging along,” insisted Yoshimoto. “Masa (Fujita) called my husband the other day, and asked us to join him in educating the Boy Scouts and their leaders from Japan. It’s all voluntary, what he’s doing, and I think that it’s nice that he’s sharing his knowledge with a younger generation.”
The Boy (and one girl) Scouts and their leaders crowded around Fujita’s plot, which consisted of a number of salt beds in different stages of harvesting, and a giant, water-filled well. Pointing out the differing stages of salt production, Fujita also made note of the thriving brine shrimp, to the exulted spectators.
Then, the harvesting began. Using his scraper to collect a clump of salt, Fujita carefully washed and drained the salt with a Japanese washing basket before daring the Scouts and leaders to taste the salt and plot water. Cautiously, a valorous few took on Fujita’s dare, their faces exploding with simultaneous relish and shock.
Lessons learned and eager to return to the comforts of their vans, the group then headed back to the parking lot, where the generous Fujita handed out bags of salt for each member of the group, adults included, signifying the end of the Scouts’ brief but invaluable encounter with Hawaiian culture.
Rounding out the group was three Troop 83 Kaua‘i Boy Scouts and Scoutmaster Richard Cabot.
