Some of the crops ,such as coconut and breadfruit, grew without any care . But taro called for the most careful cultivation. Earthen banks had to be built up and water let in. Then the ground was trampled to soften it, and the plants set out. The field had to be kept wet until the crop was ready to harvest. Both the big leaves and the roots were eaten.
Because the Hawaiian had no metal or clay their cooking was very different from ours. Their only containers were made of gourds or of wood. So how could they boil water? How could they cook anything?
To boil, the Hawaiians heated stones in a fire , then dropped them into a calabash full of water. It seems as if their water must have ended up well mixed with mud and ash.