Thankful for ‘Ohelo

‘Öhelo,
Vaccinium reticulatum, is endemic to the Islands, and is found particularly in
the Volcano area of the Big Island. The shrubby plant likes elevations of 1,000
feet or more, and thrives in beds of volcanic ash, cinders and fairly recent lava
flows. Its grayish green, round leaves on multiple, stiff branches reveal clusters
of red flowers that evolve into red, orange and yellow berries that can range
from sweet to tart.

The ‘öhelo berry is a member of the cranberry family.
The plant flowers and fruits throughout the year, but is especially prolific from
April to September. The small round berry has numerous flat seeds, unlike the
single-seed berry of the poisonous ‘äkia plant, which is often confused with ‘öhelo.
‘Öhelo can be eaten raw or cooked, and its dried leaves were often brewed into
a tea by ancient Hawaiians.

‘Ohelo berries.Photo: Steven Goldsmith, Austin College

Perhaps
because of its habitat near volcanoes, ‘öhelo is sacred to Pele, the goddess of
fire. According to Hawaiian folklore, Ka’öhelo was the mortal sister of Pele.
When Ka’öhelo died, the sacred ‘öhelo shrub grew from her resting spot. Before
eating the berries, fruiting branches are still thrown into Kïlauea as an offering
to Pele.

‘Öhelo is a food tradition special to the Big Island. Berry pickers
scour the area for berries to make pies, jam and other treats. “This is a good
year for ‘öhelo,” says Eric Inouye, of Hirano Store in Glenwood. Inouye makes
and sells ‘öhelo berry jam and ‘öhelo berry cream cheese pie, the latter being
especially popular during the holiday season.

Inouye relies on pickers who
forage for berries along Saddle Road, where the berries grow profusely. In Hawai’i
Volcanoes National Park, where they are abundant along Crater Rim, an honor system
is imposed on pickers: one quart per person per month for personal use. ‘Öhelo
are, after all, a favorite food of the nënë, the Hawaiian goose that thrives in
the park. Picking more than your share is a serious offense: berries are confiscated
and records of citations are kept; more than one citation can land you in court.

Like
Inouye, Adele Tripp of Kïlauea General Store in Volcano buys as much as she can
during the peak season, from about May to October. “We buy berries from a cadre
of pickers, freeze them and cook them as we need them. We’re never short of berries;
we buy them by the freezerful.” In addition to jam, Kïlauea General Store makes
‘öhelo syrup, ‘öhelo turnovers and an öhelo cheesecake.

This year, add a
Hawai’i twist to your Thanksgiving traditions: ‘Öhelo and turkey sounds pretty
good.