Ten students, teachers and guests from Centennial High School, Calgary, Canada came to the farm to visit and listen to Kumu Keala Ching talk story about Hawaiian food culture and myths, and about sustainable farming in Hawaii.
All were blessed to have Kumu talking story and sharing his insights.
Manono set up a display showing the kukui nut tree and hala treeʻs importance to Hawaii.
Beautiful orchids all about. Mahalos to Ke Akua (higher being) and Kumu.
Kumu shows a special lomi massage stick fashioned from a guava branch.
Kumu talking about the star compass, and the ti plant before the students begin planting 32 ti plants around the labyrinth. The plants represent the 7 directional points (x4) and the 4 houses of the star compass.
The star compass is very important to the Hawaiians, aiding in planting and navigation.
Kumu assigned each student a directional point along with the hand sign associated with the name of the directional point. After each quadrant was planted, the students went to the next quadrant and recited their directional name and gave the appropriate hand sign.
Kirsty is supervising!
Boys pounding the stakes with the directional names on them.
Dig hole, add water, add ti plant, add mulch, pound in rebar, pound in stake. Easy-peasy!
Teacher Carter Cox uses a modern tool to dig the hole for the ti plant. Not much soil here, mostly lava rock.
Here he tries a more traditional tool.
Students learning the directional points and houses via a hand game and chant.
After the planting, the students were instructed on how to cleanse oneself by walking the labyrinth.
Each student decided which side they needed to work on (male or female), entered the appropriate side, and worked on leaving what needed to be discarded from their life in the labyrinth. Whatever is discarded is absorbed by the land and turned back into good to nurture those living on the farm.
Students exiting the labyrinth, hopefully without some of the baggage they were trying to get rid of.
Manono showing the students some of the plants they ate for lunch.
All of the food and tea was from the farm and was prepared by Kirsty, the very talented resident chef! The students were given food to go for dinner later that day as well.
What is not listed above is the lilikoi bread (gone in a flash), seen to the right of the avocados and the mamaki tea. The food was so ono and the students were very thankful!
Brandon (one of Kumuʻs students), kept the flies away with his specially crafted ti leaf.
The visitors were very blessed to have Kumu Keala Ching, Chef Kirsty and host Manono to welcome them to the farm and share with them food, tea and stories of Hawaii.
Peace my friends!
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