i just wanted to mention tī leaf and how i loved how kendall uses it as a plot device. i don’t know how but everyone i know from hawaiʻi grows up learning that having tī leaf surrounding your home is important. there are many different uses for it but i’ll share some of the things i’ve grown up hearing about tī leaf 🌱

people usually have it line their houses (instead of or behind their fences). you’ll see a good amount of people have tī leaves growing naturally on their property, or either purposefully planted there. same goes for my house as i’m slowly trying to ensure a tī leaf border 😌

anyway, growing up on hawaiʻi island (colloquially “big island”), i heard that if there were ever a violent explosion of lava from kīlauea volcano, or even from mauna loa, less active than kīlauea but also once considered the largest active volcano in the world, then the tī leaf would protect you from the flows of molten lava, mostly associated with madame tūtū pele, the goddess of the volcano and fire and creation of hawaiʻi’s land.

the tī leaf acts as a ward to protect you from the “wrath of pele,” as she’s known for her volatility and her high-intensity emotions for revenge and the like, and the tī leaf is almost like a symbol of asking for forgiveness from her for living on her ʻāina (land) and to spare you/your property from her lava.

it can also protect you from spirits, and it’s also used in a lot of offerings. when you visit the kīlauea volcano on hawaiʻi island, you might notice some areas have tī leaf-wrapped goods—these include offerings along with food and flowers to ensure safety and to give respect to madame tūtū pele.

on a different spectrum, tī leaves are used in leis and even simple ones can be given by anyone to offer good luck and protection. when we receive a tī leaf lei, we usually hang it around our car mirrors to protect us on the road, and we use it to decorate headstones for our loved ones to ensure their protection as their spirit moves on from the living.

it’s very culturally significant here so i’m moved by its inclusion in the story!! there are medicinal uses for it as well (although i’m not well-versed in that) and we use it to wrap certain foods before it’s steamed (like in laulau!).

note: i am not kanaka so pls correct me if i’m wrong on any of this!! i’ve grown up here and also taken courses and have close proximity to hawaiians who are very proudly hawaiian 😽

i’d love to hear anyone else’s thoughts on tī leaf or if they want to share what else they know about it!! :^)