Maui History & Cultural Activities
Museums & Historical Landmarks
East Maui
Keanae
History &
Information
The
quiet little town of Ke-'anae is legendary for its taro
farming which has been passed down through generations of
families. Legend tells of an industrialist King that turned
the barren Ke-'anae Peninsula into a rich farming area where
taro could be grown. Today, the Ke-'anae-Wai-lua area is one
of the major commercial wetland taro farming regions in the
state. Taro is one of the staple foods of the Hawaiian
culture. The whole taro plant can be eaten. The root can be
steamed and pounded into poi or made into chips. The stems
(Ha-Ha) are commonly cooked with meat, and the leaves can be
steamed and eaten, having the taste and texture that is
similar to spinach.
This area was nearly completely destroyed by a tsunami in
1946. The only building left standing was the
stone church that is still here today. The Keanae peninsula
is adorned with, taro patches, an old Hawaiian village, and
a church built in 1856. A pullout along the Hana highway
offers a fantastic view of this area or you can take the
road that leads to the peninsula for a close up look.
The
quiet little town of Ke-'anae is legendary for its taro
farming which has been passed down through generations of
families. Legend tells of an industrialist King that turned
the barren Ke-'anae Peninsula into a rich farming area where
taro could be grown. Today, the Ke-'anae-Wai-lua area is one
of the major commercial wetland taro farming regions in the
state. Taro is one of the staple foods of the Hawaiian
culture. The whole taro plant can be eaten. The root can be
steamed and pounded into poi or made into chips. The stems
(Ha-Ha) are commonly cooked with meat, and the leaves can be
steamed and eaten, having the taste and texture that is
similar to spinach. 
stone church that is still here today. The Keanae peninsula
is adorned with, taro patches, an old Hawaiian village, and
a church built in 1856. A pullout along the Hana highway
offers a fantastic view of this area or you can take the
road that leads to the peninsula for a close up look. 
