kālua

The word "kālua" literally translates to "to cook in an underground oven" in the Hawaiian language (from "kā" meaning to strike or make, and "lua" meaning hole or pit). In modern Hawaii, it is universally used by locals of all backgrounds to describe the traditional method of roasting a whole pig, turkey, or large cuts of meat inside an imu using heated river rocks, banana stumps, and ti leaves. While tourists often associate the word strictly with "kālua pork" served at commercial luaus, locals use it as both a verb for the grueling, communal process of preparing the imu and an adjective for the distinctively smoky, tender meat it produces. It is considered culturally ignorant to use "kālua" to describe meat simply slow-cooked in a crockpot with liquid smoke, as true kālua requires the physical pit and the earth-oven technique that has been central to Hawaiian gatherings for centuries.

Braddah Keoni stood by the kiawe wood pile at the edge of the Anahola family compound, arms crossed, watching his cousin's new boyfriend from Seattle try to take charge of the prep. The guy, wearing brand-new slippahs and a pristine floral shirt, was holding a bottle of liquid smoke and a roll of aluminum foil, explaining loudly to Uncle Boy how he saw a "hack" on YouTube to get the meat tender without digging a hole.

"Brah, what he tink this is, one mainland barbecue?" Keoni muttered to his older brother, shaking his head as the guy tried to hand Uncle Boy the liquid smoke. "You no can just wrap 'um in foil, throw 'um in the oven, and call 'um authentic. If we goin kālua the pig for tutu's birthday, we doing 'um right. We sweating in the dirt, busting our backs with the rocks, and burying that buggah."

Uncle Boy didn't even say a word. He just stared at the little glass bottle of artificial smoke, then looked at the massive pile of banana stumps and wet burlap sacks waiting by the freshly dug pit. He slowly handed the bottle back to the boyfriend, picked up his oʻo bar, and pointed to the dirt. "You like eat tonight? Grab one shovel."