Pipipi

" Kokolo nō 'o pipipi, 'o kalamoe me ālealea a ke alo o Kuhaimoana "

Pipipi, Kalamoe, and Ālealea crept to the presence of Kuhaimoana.

Kuhaimoana is an important shark god, and pipipi, kalamoe and ālealea

are shell fish. Said of hangers-on who gather around an important person

for favors. ('Ōlelo No'eau 1821)

Pipipi are found on most rocky shores in the splash zone. They are an 'ono suppliment to the diet easily gathered by children and kupuna.

It is said to be eaten as a famine food but I have found it a great snack at the beach while sitting around the camp fire. Looking through midden (rubbish our kūpuna left behind) pipipi were found in large numbers leading me to believe pipipi could have been the sunflower seed of our kūpuna.

It was not good for pregnant women to crave pipipi fearing the child would have makapipipi or beady eyes, not a beautiful trait to our kūpuna.