#79 | Daniel Anthony | The science of taro, making poi, and Hawai'i's stolen lands 

Such and amazing podcast, was locked in from start to finish. So inspiring to hear and learn from such passionate people. Mahalo

It's 1a in the morning and I had to watch this till pau. Daniel is so inspirational, focused and determined for the betterment of na kakana and I am so grateful for what he does. What a powerful man guided by his na aumakua. Mahalo nui loa Daniel!

this one is one of the most educational ones yet!!!

I love this conversation, awesome podcast. I believe Hawaii will get Her soverign title back. Now We have to get our People to be akamai of what is to come. Love this guy mentality, Dont have to have money to live a Rich life. Live a simple life, no more pilikia dat way.

This is a great interview! Daniel is so articulate, insightful, and wise. So authentic. Wonderful ideas on how to live, how to eat, and how to build community.

Mahalo nui ~ loved this podcast! Really opening up the mind and heart ~ Inspiring, educational, pure heartedness, kanaka maoli genius ❤

Kamaka, idk if you remember me, probably not. You came and hung out down NS with bradda JC and we was all with braddah Graham that lived down mokuleia roaming around in his 16 passenger van lol Anyways, just wanted for say how sick it is what you do on these podcast. Some real eye opening stuff. Such interesting topics that you bring up that shows peoples different perspectives really get my brain going. The prominent figures in our world that speak on the past and our ancestors lifestyles make us really think of how life would be if we grew up in that generations. For me, I grew up kinda in between. I was the kid who would go home from school, work on the farm or go fish/dive with my uncles or cousins to try catch something to provide food for our family. That same night, after I was able to gather from our land and our ocean I was hopping on the Xbox to play some call of duty. I was the country boy that rode horses around Kunia farms on the weekend and then went home and built peoples MySpace profiles for $10. I just went back to visit home couple years ago and I see how incapable the younger generations of my family is of using our natural resources really hurt my heart. My tutu lady would be disappointed to see that her great grand babies cannot even go catch fish for dinner. I had to make time to teach them how to do these things that our papa and tutu lady instilled in us. They show no interest in that kind of knowledge. But I made sure I tried my best to instill part of who we are in them. To see how far we’ve come as a people, away from our native practices hurt. It’s such a big difference within the 10 years since I’ve graduated high school. Me and all my friends would go fish and dive or go hunt and stuff as a group. These new kids like go hop in the car and go cruise at the mall and go eat out. Small kine rant. Lol. But I really just wanna say keep up the good work and mahalo for providing a platform for our peoples voices to be heard! 🙌🏼🤙🏼

Wow…Awsome conversation! Mahalo 🫶🏻🤙🏼

An eye opener! Love this message!❤

Waianae is sad honestly, the reason it's like that is because a lot of those people have no kahua. They're kahua is trying to be "shmood" and comparing each others materialistic things as some sort of symbol

🔥🔥🔥Interview…Yessah🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾

This was such a great podcast, Mahalo Nui Loa Palalas.

Daniel is one of a kind, true inspiration to keep going

Unko Daniel is such a true visionary and so inspiring. Mahalo nui for sharing your mana’o with all of us. It is a great gift. 😊🤙❤️

Daniel sold me Kalo - I pounded it and was confused how there were what looked like baby corms inside... I asked him about it later and he laughed and told me it was the lil nuts from nut grass that the Kalo absorbed in the mala. Thatʻs the last time I bought kalo from him.

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🌟 Daniel Anthony, a passionate food sovereignty leader from Oʻahu, shares a deeply personal story about a moment of crisis in his life. 01:16 🌱 Daniel Anthony is an advocate for sustainable agriculture and a driving force behind the movement to bring taro (kalo) back to Hawai'i's classrooms, kitchens, and local economies. 03:22 🤝 Daniel Anthony co-founded Mana, a company that produces, distributes, and promotes fresh Artisan POI and pa'i made from the kalo plant. 03:36 🌴 Daniel Anthony is also an activist who spearheaded the successful movement to legalize the public sale of hand-pounded poi in Hawai'i, using traditional methods. 26:20 🍽️ Poi-making involves cleaning taro thoroughly, removing imperfections, and getting it down to its essence. 28:51 🧪 Adding fresh poi to old poi rebalances the pH, a key preservation technique. 31:51 🍞 The age of poi affects its taste and texture, with each day offering a different flavor profile. 33:17 🍷 Poi-making involves the use of earth-based microbes similar to the fermentation processes in wine or cheese-making. 36:13 🥢 The recipe for poi has changed over time, influenced by cultural and technological shifts. 41:28 🍶 Poi should be made following traditional hand-pounding methods, and machine-made poi should be labeled differently. 46:36 🥗 Incorporating poi into your diet can have various health benefits, including aiding digestion and reducing cravings for unhealthy foods. 52:39 🌽 Traditional Hawaiian cuisine involves using all parts of the taro plant, including the sweet leftovers, which can be used in various dishes like poi and mochi. 53:32 🌱 The historical production of poi and taro in Hawaii was entirely manual, without the use of fossil fuels, involving hand pounding by skilled individuals or communities. 56:41 💰 Legalizing and supporting traditional poi making and taro farming in Hawaii has attracted significant grant funding and is revitalizing these practices in the Hawaiian community. 57:25 🥣 The "papa kuyai accelerator" project aims to produce 5,000 traditional papa (poi boards) annually by involving 25 full-time taro farmers and creating workshops to empower local communities. 59:02 🚢 Hawaii's heavy reliance on imported food, including rice and meat, highlights the need for a more sustainable and self-sufficient food economy. 01:00:02 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Daniel Anthony's focus is on creating healthy kanaka (people) through food sovereignty and sustainability, with a strong emphasis on indigenous entrepreneurship. 01:03:26 🔗 Building a strong sense of community and self-sufficiency, even in apartment living, can involve practices like composting, recycling, and creating systems that connect individuals with the land. 01:05:20 🔄 Reconnecting with ancestral knowledge and indigenous values can help combat the effects of capitalism and promote a more sustainable and accountable way of living. 01:16:29 🌱 Daniel Anthony emphasizes the importance of being accountable to oneself, fostering a healthy community, and creating indigenous economies to support the well-being of the Hawaiian people. 01:18:09 🚑 Prioritize preventive healthcare over waiting until illness strikes to seek help. 01:18:24 👴 Encourage people to take better care of their health to outlive their predecessors and contribute to the future. 01:19:06 🤝 Reflect on how our actions, like consuming unhealthy products, contribute to the early loss of knowledge and wisdom in our communities. 01:20:17 🌱 Strive to accumulate life experiences and understanding, enabling us to support the next generation in dealing with uncertainties. 01:21:12 👵 Aspire to become a generation of kupuna (elders) helping the next generation navigate uncertain times and make wise choices. 01:23:22 🏝️ Acknowledge the importance of being stewards of the land rather than owning it, in line with traditional Hawaiian values. 01:26:55 🌱 Prioritize soil regeneration and sustainable agriculture as a critical aspect of addressing climate change and food security. 01:31:05 💡 Invest in building Hawaii's capacity for sustainability, particularly in food production. 01:36:58 🚗 Daniel Anthony's experience highlights the ongoing challenge of advocating for the use of Hawaiian language (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi) in various settings, including legal matters. 01:41:24 🏛️ The need for judges and court systems that can understand and communicate in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi is emphasized as a way to address issues of justice and fairness within the Hawaiian community. 01:43:31 🏞️ Daniel Anthony raised $750,000 in 14 months through community crowdfunding to save his farm in 2021. 01:44:18 💰 Daniel Anthony emphasizes his commitment to giving back to the community by paying $6,000 a month in "Good Deeds" for 30 years to repay their investment in him. 01:44:49 🌟 Daniel Anthony's motivation to pursue justice in Hawaii's system is rooted in honoring his grandparents and doing things they couldn't. 01:45:34 🤝 Daniel Anthony's actions inspire both the older generation (kupunas) and the younger generation (keiki) in Hawaii. 01:46:29 ⚖️ Daniel Anthony shares how he challenges the legal system to recognize Hawaiian sovereignty, even facing resistance from law enforcement. 01:52:01 🏞️ Daniel Anthony explains the significance of allodial titles and royal patents in Hawaiian land history, dating back to the 1840s. 01:56:00 🏰 Daniel Anthony discusses a case where a Hawaiian reclaimed land using their royal patent number, highlighting the potential for Hawaiians to reclaim lost lands. 02:02:23 🗳️ Daniel Anthony mentions his potential interest in running for governor to bring these issues to a mainstream platform and effect real change. 02:07:38 💡 Daniel Anthony reflects on the challenges and risks of entering politics and implementing transformative changes for the community. 02:09:01 🙏 Daniel Anthony highlights the significance of the Mauna Kea protests, emphasizing the power of consistent prayers and spirituality in effecting change. 02:09:28 🤔 Daniel Anthony doesn't consider himself a Christian due to the negative influence he believes Christianity has had on indigenous people, particularly in Hawaii. 02:10:12 💧 According to Daniel Anthony, native Hawaiians should not have a substandard life experience in their own homeland while being told that things will be better in the afterlife; instead, they need access to basic necessities like clean water. 02:10:54 🔦 Living in a developing country can provide insights into what life might have been like for previous generations, such as using well water and candles for lighting. 02:12:03 🏠 Native Hawaiians face economic challenges, and if they don't assimilate into the foreign economy, they can quickly become homeless and destitute. 02:12:34 🌍 Daniel Anthony believes in providing options for people rather than pushing them into homelessness or living in a Western society; he envisions a choice that doesn't currently exist. 02:14:29 🌺 Daniel Anthony's primary goal in life is to raise his children to be better versions of their genealogy and to contribute to the restoration of Hawaiian independence, feeding, clothing, and sheltering their people while growing on their own terms. 02:22:23 🌴 The consistent creation of opportunities for people to engage with their culture and community is key to fostering transformation and positive change. 02:24:04 🌱 The entry points for change often start with community programs and workshops, providing opportunities for people to engage in cultural practices like poi pounding and papakū (board making). 02:29:45 🌟 Daniel Anthony is proud of his supportive family, wife, children, and circle of friends who have been instrumental in his life's journey and accomplishments. 02:33:23 🪞 Daniel Anthony emphasizes that personal growth and self-awareness have been the result of hardships and challenges he has faced throughout his life. 02:33:36 🤑 Daniel Anthony leads a rich lifestyle but is usually broke due to his commitment to community and sustainability. 02:35:12 🌟 Success isn't just about money; it's about accomplishing meaningful goals and living a simple, happy life. 02:37:20 🧘‍♂️ Daniel's life hack is to maintain a positive and spiritually fulfilling environment, like an 'umeke' mindset. 02:38:18 🍽️ Daniel enjoys indigenous ingredients prepared by local chefs and trying new foods made from them. 02:39:48 🍴 Daniel's favorite local restaurant is Pig & The Lady, known for its wholesome and fun atmosphere. 02:40:19 🏞️ Daniel's hobby is fighting to restore 'Aina (land), and he also enjoys watching Netflix and staying informed with creative news sources. 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Wow! Good conversation indeed! Grew up making poi in Hanapēpē Valley with my ʻOhana…straight from the loʻi to the pākaukau…sour and moldy💯. Mahalo Daniel Anthony and keep it aloha podcast🔥

Aloha from Azusa Ca., I'm listening,learning & loving the conversation. Mahalo Nui Loa. 😍🤙🏽

The reputation of our side is getting worse and worse every day but this is a great perspective on what the rest of us see. My mom works at Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center… This was insightful. The entire thing.

Yes why do we get rid of the coconut trees. I mean I know it's because if a coconut was to drop on us or specifically a tourist. We in trouble...but just no hang out under one coconut tree!! My grandma's house had about 3 or 4 coconut trees, now no moa nothing. So sad! I hate how things have "progressed". 😢

Who throws out the POI? Never, lick the bowl, if you have to, but NEVER throw out the poi. My grandpa loved sour poi. I used to day, it bit me back.

Thank you so much for this episode! I’m a transplant to the mainland (Mānoa -> Fort Collins, CO). I’ve been craving poi and paiai for SO LONG! Especially since COVID made it impossible to visit home the past few years. My question is- Is it possible to grow taro at mile-high altitudes + the climate of the Rocky Mountains? If it is possible, how should I go about doing this? Growing up in Hawaii, the sacredness of kalo has been ingrained into my heart. Because of this, I don’t want to try growing it out here if it is only doomed to fail due to the climate and conditions that I live in. At the same time, I do want to bring all of the pieces of my home/culture out here, so long as they will be viable and have a decent shot at thriving. Also, I’m pottery inexperienced in agriculture in general 😅 Any thoughts? Once again, I love your show. Thank you for all that you do!

Great podcast. Mahalo

Very well

Very good self revelation… and full circle reckoning .. sounds similar a path i have taken .. mine happen to be in tourism away from Hawaii since 78… taking aloha around the world .. 66 years old .. went 2 different Waikiki Elementary schools .. angry fueled criminal behavior .. breaks in life to rise to the top having opened 40+ hotels away from home .. Sad that the tourism thrives on the backs of local residents while having to settle for less in life .. i got out .. i got more in life .. not for everyone but good for me ..Daniel reminds me of my oldest brother 🙏i want to believe but the voice to small and there is no political will in the hearts and minds of the majority so it will never come to Hawaiii ..Arizona? .. i live in a city of 30 mil 10x the size of Hawaii buildings 80 stories high… while it looks nothing like Hawaii - it feels so much more like the Hawaii i grew up in than it is now .. change is real and inevitable … wishing you all well with sovereignty 🙏Yup 130 years

Haloa imua

It would be great if you added the people's instagrams on your description and stuff below. Love your guests, and love learning about Hawaii.

Mahalo

Store poi causes sugar spikes?! Thatʻs nuts!

🙏🏽🌎🙌🏾🌱♻️💪🏾💯🔥

Saimin and poi is my #1🫣

This is great, the Uncle talking facts.

Dats my unko he was just at my house

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