What Seaweed Can Tell Us About Our Environment In Hawaii 0 Native limu, which is linked to Hawaiian culture as well as the ecosystems it supports, faces threats from coastal development, climate change and invasive species.
Seaweed, macroalgae, kelp — there are many different names for the plants of the ocean but in Hawaii, it’s limu.
Before Western contact, limu was an important part of Hawaiian culture and lifestyle. Commonly found in food dishes, it was also used as medicine and in cultural practices like making lei or dyeing clothes. One variety, limu kala, was often part of hooponopono practices — reconciliation ceremonies — as a way to seek forgiveness as participants ate or held the plant.
As the basis of the marine food chain, limu also plays a critical role in intertidal ecosystems as it provides food and shelter for smaller invertebrates and herbivores.
