Hawaiian Hala Tree

by Heidi Fickinger

Title

Hawaiian Hala Tree

Artist

Heidi Fickinger

Medium

Photograph - Photographic Print

Description

This beautiful and unusual tree is the Hawaiian Hala tree (Pandanus tectorius). Hala is found throughout the Pacific Islands; I have seen them as far east and north as the Philippines and Vanuatu and as far south as eastern Australia. There are varities as far east as Sri Lanka. Hala trees can be either male or female and each sex of tree has had different traditional uses.
The tree figures into much of the Hawaiian culture. Dried leaves are processed by hand by soaking and removing the center rib and line of spines found along the outside of each leaf and are used to weave mats, hats, jewelry and other useful items. Once dried and processed, the leaves are known as lauhala and the art of weaving with them is passed down through generations and is much valued.
In past times the trunks of male trees were used in house building; the wood of female trees is too soft. The Hawaiians plaited lauhala for canoe sails. Hīnano (male flower bracts) were used to plait the finest garments called ʻahu hīnano. The bracts were dried and torn into very narrow strips before plaiting. These garments had a soft, fine texture, and were characterized by marvelous flexibility. The soft aerial roots (ulehala) of female hala were used as cordage. Some lau hala cordage was formed into rings called pōʻaha to support bowls with rounded bottoms.
In some other cultures, the fruit (see the pineapple-looking like fruits in the image) are eaten and have been part of the cuisine for centuries. Information on the plant indicates that fruits have been eaten in Hawai'i in the past in times of famine. The fruit has a very high calcium oxalate crystal content and can be harmful if not prepared properly. I have never seen them eaten in Hawai'i today.
The ripe hala fruit keys (hala ʻiʻo) used for lei were cut by a shark tooth horizontially in three different ways according to desired use. Today these leis are still made (without the use of shark teeth!).
Both female and male trees produce flowers. Male flower flowers are known as hīnano and consist of very fragrant bracts. Old stories tell of lost fishermen in canoes adrift at sea finding their way home via the frangrances of hala. Some believe that the scent and especially the pollen of the flowers can be an aphrodesiac. Old stories talk about using the pollen to seduce partners by sprinkling it on the head of the person who was desired and is said to have been used in 'love potions'.
The season when hīnano blooms is during the season when migrating sharks visit the Islands, so there is a saying 'when hīnano blooms, sharks bite'.

Featured in the following FAA group galleries:
* Hawai'i Greeting Card Photography
* Hawaiian Photography
* Off the Beaten Path
* Your Very Best Photography
* What's New
* Hodge Podge
* Positive Energy

Uploaded

July 31st, 2020

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