We started today off by heading to the Mesei, or the taro patch. Ms. Ann and Ms. Ann Marie shared their knowledge about farming in the taro patch, how to plant and pull taro, and the medicinal herbs they keep in the patch. Ms. Ann spoke about how the medicinal plants they grow are good for both plants and people to keep everyone healthy! She also spoke about how food is an important part of community. It is expected to share food with guests who come into your home.
Ms. Ann Marie and Ms. Ann shared how the taro patch is not only a place for women to farm, but also to congregate and talk freely, building strong relationships between women.
After pulling taro, we rinsed them and cut them to bring back to Camp Ebiil for processing. After boiling the taro for 2 hours, we peeled them and mashed them up with coconut oil. While we waited for the taro to boil, Omar and KB taught us how to break open coconuts to make coconut oil. We finished off the day with a meal made from the taro we helped to harvest.
Through today’s activities, we learned the cultural significance of localized food systems and got to experience the work and care that goes into bringing each piece of food from patch to plate.
Today’s blog post was written by: Emma Schnabel and Alaina Houser
