Māla, Atelier & Friends
Kalo
From the union of Wākea, the expanse of sky, and his beloved daughter Hoʻohokukalani, a child was born but did not live. From that still body sprang life again—the first kalo, rooted in the earth, its leaves reaching upward like hands in prayer. Soon after, a second child was born, strong and healthy. He was named Hāloa, and from him descended the Hawaiian people.
Thus kalo stands as the elder sibling, the kupuna of humankind—nourishing, guiding, and reminding us of our place within the great family of creation. To tend the kalo is to mālama ʻāina, to honor the ʻohana, and to live in balance with all living things. In its stalks and leaves, in every bowl of poi, we find not only sustenance but also the memory of origin, identity, and the enduring bond between people, land, and spirit.