Maiʻa

English Name: Banana

Genus: Must

Uses:

Maiʻa was primarily used as food, but the other parts of the tree were used for various things. The leaves were used as roofs of houses, umbrellas, rain hats, bowl and table covers, temporary mats, clothing, dyes, cattle feed and cover the imu. The leaf’s bud was a vegetable and the sheaths were used as water runways, thatching, and containers for lei. The trunks were used to aid canoes as rollers to the sea, and used in the imu for moisture.

Background Info:

History -

Maiʻa came to Hawaiʻi with the first Polynesian settlers. It is native to India, and there are over 50 different variations. Maiʻa trees are slow developers, that take over a year to produce fruit.

Moʻolelo -

There are stories of Pele (the Hawaiian Fire and Volcano Goddess) and her brother bringing bananas from Tahiti. Bananas are believed to bring bad luck if you dream about them, meet someone who is carrying bananas, or to bring bananas on a fishing trip.