Kalo & Niu Fest

The Kalo & Niu Festival is a community-centered event dedicated to educating Molokaʻi residents about the history, cultural significance, and ongoing care of two essential ancestral plants—kalo and niu. Through hands-on workshops, cultural demonstrations, and ʻike-sharing led by statewide community practitioners, attendees will learn traditional and contemporary practices for cultivating, protecting, utilizing, and perpetuating these crops.

The festival emphasizes Molokaʻi’s critical role as the only island in Hawaiʻi currently free of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, making it a vital stronghold for protecting niu for the entire state. Community education is essential to safeguarding this precious resource. By sharing prevention strategies, early detection practices, and practical stewardship knowledge, the event empowers residents to actively protect niu for future generations while strengthening Molokaʻi’s role in statewide agricultural resilience.

The festival will also include a cooking competition designed to encourage community collaboration and recipe sharing, highlighting creative and healthy ways to incorporate kalo and niu into modern diets. By promoting the use of ancestral ingredients in everyday meals, the competition supports community health and well-being.