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Mai‘a ‘Ho‘olaule‘a/Banana Festival
November 13, 2022, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm HST
Free| On Sunday November 13, from 11am-4pm, Hawai‘i Banana Source, Slow Food in Hawaii and Hawai’i SEED, with our partner Hi‘ipaka LLC, will host the free inaugural Mai‘a ‘Ho‘olaule‘a/Banana Festival in Waimea Valley, O‘ahu. |
| While most of us are familiar with local apple bananas and the ubiquitous Central American Chiquita, few of us have ever eaten a Hawaiian banana or enjoyed a savory banana dish. We hope to remedy that at Ka Mai‘a ‘Ho‘olaule‘a! |
| This free Festival was created to expand our notions of what a banana is and can be. We’ve put together a program to help island residents successfully grow and use bananas in a number of ways. |
| FOOD BOOTHS AND SAMPLES |
| A number of noted island chefs will be on hand to provide samples and recipes for banana dishes. Banana-based lunches and desserts will be available for purchase. |
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| MAI‘A LECTURES |
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| BANANA T-SHIRT DYES |
| All banana growers have experienced the impressive ability of bananas plants to stain clothing. We‘ll put those qualities to good use, letting fairgoers, both old and young, dye their own t-shirts or buy a t-shirt on site to dye with banana stalks, stems and flowers. Babs Miyano-Young will supervise several booths and provide the materials necessary for dyeing. |
| BANANA FIBER DEMONSTRATIONS |
| Mahina and Cheryl Pukahi will show off their talents as lauhala weavers, using black banana fibers to highlight their work. Wesley Sen will demonstrate kapa making, using banana dyes. |
| MAI‘A ‘HO’OLAULEl‘A T-SHIRTS & BANANA BOOKS |
| Organic cotton shirts sporting our poster of the beautiful botanical illustration will be for sale at a cost of $20.
The ultimate guide to all things banana is Angela Kepler’s The World of Bananas in Hawai’i: Then and Now. This hard-to-find book will entertain and educate you about Mai‘a history, best gardening practices, pests. identification, and how best to prepare, cook and eat bananas. A few copies will be available for $80, $36 less than its Amazon price. |
| BANANA FRUITS & PLANTS FOR SALE |
| Gabe Sachter-Smith of Hawai’i Banana Source, Pu‘u o Hoku Ranch, Ho‘okua‘aina and other growers and farms will provide plants and fruits for sale. Some unusual types will be available, including a few Hawaiian mai’a. Tasting samples will be offered, so that attendees can learn about the flavors and features of numerous varieties of bananas. |
| AND MORE. . . |
| In addition to the above activities, fairgoers will find opportunities to taste honeys, learn about pollinators at the Hānai Hives booth, find out how the Hawai‘i Tropical Fruit Growers can support both farmers and backyard fruit fans, and Master Gardeners will offer advice on plant and garden problems. |