'Ulu was one of the plants considered important enough to the life of the culture for earliest Polynesian settlers to have brought it in their canoes, traveling to Hawai'i. The ʻulu tree also served many purposes. The wood was used to make canoes, drums, and surfboards. The sap was used for medicinal purposes and applied to the skin to heal cuts, scratches and various skin diseases. It was also used as a moisturizer for wind-cracked or scaly skin. Mouth sores can be treated with the sap and leaf buds. The sap was also used for catching birds, while the fibers could be used to make a lesser-quality kapa.
'Ulu can be steamed, baked, boiled, marinated, stir-fried, or deep fried. It is sometimes mashed into an 'ulu poi.
Mo'olelo of 'Ulu
The god Kū often appeared on Earth as a mortal to live and mingle amongst humans. On one of his trips, he fell in love with a human woman and decided to stay with her in her village and work as a farmer. They had children and lived a happy life, with her being oblivious to his godly status. One day, a famine struck the village and all the village’s food sources dried up. In order to save his village and family, Kū used his powers and mournfully sank himself into the earth, never to be physically seen again. His wife wept at the area he disappeared and her tears watered the soil. The next day, a tiny green plant sprouted from the spot Kū disappeared and quickly grew into a full-sized ʻulu tree. The tree flourished and provided enough fruit for the entire village. That night, Kū visited his wife in a dream and instructed her on how to prepare the ʻulu fruit. Since the fruit was filling and plentiful, the village was once again nourished. However, Kū’s family could only pick the fruit, and the tree would quickly be sucked back into the ground if a stranger tried to pick from it. Once again, Kū visited his wife in a dream and told her to dig up the young tree shoots near the base of the main tree and give it to others in the village. These shoots were planted and grew into more trees that bore fruit everyone could collect.
To this day, some people continue to plant an ʻulu tree whenever a child is born to ensure a life of nourishment and prosperity.
