HANALEI — Kaua‘i Taro Growers Association president Rodney Haraguchi does not want to see his beloved crop go the way of pineapple or sugar on Kaua‘i. “He doesn’t want to see it die,” said Randy Uyehara, one of the volunteers
HANALEI — Kaua‘i Taro Growers Association president Rodney Haraguchi does not want to see his beloved crop go the way of pineapple or sugar on Kaua‘i.
“He doesn’t want to see it die,” said Randy Uyehara, one of the volunteers of the Taro Festival.
“We gotta come to support,” said Bruce Takekuma who came from Kalaheo. “Taro has had issues with the apple snail and pocket rot. We just have to support these farmers.”
Patrons to the Seventh Biennial Taro Festival came from all parts of the island, each paying a dollar admission earmarked for scholarships. Uyehara farms taro in the Waimea Valley.
Hosted by the KTGA with support from the County of Kaua‘i, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and many local businesses and volunteers who turn out to help, the event started Wednesday with a series of workshops and seminars at the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Research Station in Wailua.
Thursday events included tours of Limahuli Gardens in Ha‘ena and the Saturday ho‘olaule‘a bringing everything to a climax in Hanalei.
“Everything is related,” said Betty Kobayashi, an event leader. “Even the food booths have at least one taro item on their menu.”
Kobayashi said the health department’s display on leptospirosis was relevant to taro farmers. Even craft fair vendor Juni Yadao, who creates jewelry from opihi shells, had taro design offerings.
Kobayashi was manning a table where festival-goers could acquire some vermicomposting worms that were left over from one of the Wednesday seminars.
Maryanne Manintin waited in one of the front row seats for Martina Hilldorfer’s the Kaua‘i Community College culinary arts students’ taro cooking demonstration to begin.
“We brought laulau all the way from Kalaheo,” Manintin said. “Now we’re waiting to sample some of the taro goodies.”
Valerie Henmi didn’t disappoint as she joined Hilldorfer in cooking up samples of their crab cake with wasabi aioli while students Ryan Espiritu and Cathleen Ibanez walked the crowd through the process.
The recipe as well as winners from the recipe contest will be featured in Wednesday’s TGI Food section.
Additionally, Henmi finished as runner-up in the dessert contest with Taro Bars.
Karen and Jenees Howard of Portland, Ore. had a different problem on their hands — the one finger or two method of poi consumption did not work.
Jenees had at least four fingers in the sample from the poi pounding station.
“I’m stuck,” she said, laughing while being photographed for the family album. Karen was more successful with her sample and said the poi was all right, although it could be a little sweeter.
All the while, Naomi Yokotake and her Hula Halau O Hanalei offered a variety of hula including a lively keiki number extolling the virtues of taro.
Over the years, the festival’s goals have been met and the organization continues to grow, Haraguchi said.
He said he hopes this festival will perpetuate and inspire people by the efforts put forth by the taro farming ‘ohana in keeping taro pono.
