Earth ovens have been a central part of traditional Polynesian cooking for thousands of years. They were used not only in households but also during community gatherings and special events. Earth ovens vary in size and type depending on their purpose.
Let’s take a look at one particular earth oven associated with community events.
The umu ti, or ti ovens, are large, specialized ovens used for baking the roots of the ti plant under high temperatures.
They were used in Samoa and other islands in Polynesia. Growing up to 40 feet tall, the ti tree (Cordyline fruticose) is a common flowering tree that had significant cultural importance for Pacific Islanders. Typically known as an ornamental plant for its colorful leaves, the ti plant provided food and was used for medicinal purposes.
In some Polynesian cultures, the ti plant is symbolic of divine power, used to ward off evil spirits or attract positive energies. In Hawaii, the ti leaves are seen as an emblem of peace.
In his article “Ti Ovens in Polynesia: Ethnological and Archeological Perspectives” published in the December 2002 issue of The Journal of the Polynesian Society, the archeologist Mike T. Carson wrote that umu ti was a uniquely identifiable archaeological feature in Polynesia. He said the ovens have similarities to the standard Polynesian earth ovens, but in “exaggerated form.”
Recorded stories from Samoa in the late 19th century showed how the cooking process worked.
First, families spent a week digging the roots of the ti plant. Next, they pounded the roots with a wooden club on a flat stone. The roots were then packed closely in baskets to prevent heat from escaping. Then, they dug a big hole in the ground and placed coconut trunks and firewood on four sides around the oven. Big rocks were placed on top of the logs of wood. The preparation alone often took 24 hours.
The firewood was then lit. As it burned, the heat was transferred to the rocks. Next, they leveled the now-fiercely glowing, red-hot stones to form a hot pavement for the ti roots to cook evenly.
This was considered a dangerous moment because the bravest men had to arrange the hot rocks using long green chestnut branches with a hook at the end. As a safety measure, the men were tied to lines when they arranged the stones so they wouldn’t fall into the oven. Next, they covered the hot rocks with banana or ti leaves, then put the baskets of ti roots in.
The oven was left to cook for a couple of days to a week, or even longer. The stones continued to radiate heat within the oven throughout the cooking time. When the oven was emptied, the baskets of cooked ti were distributed among the families.
It was important to use uniform-sized stones as much as possible to get even radiation for heat in the oven. It also meant that the larger the ti oven, the quantity of stones needed.
At the time of European contact in Polynesia, all cooking, except for grilling fish and other food, was done in the earth oven. The umu ti or ti ovens stood out because they were made only on rare occasions, such as community feasts and chiefs’ gatherings.
Carson pointed out that the ovens involved activities at a community level and indicated social significance. Using ti ovens required the involvement of several individuals and numerous families, from root gathering and preparation to the cooking process.
In some parts of Samoa, the use of ti ovens was considered a high-status occasion, where the chief or other leaders directed the proceedings, and the baskets of cooked ti were distributed among the various represented families.
For special events, such as a chiefs’ gathering, they made a special food called "otai" from coconut products and ti roots.
An archeological survey showed at least 17 ti ovens in a high-status settlement in Vaigafa, Upolu, Samoa.
So, what made the ti ovens different from standard earth ovens?
Ti ovens were made by a knowledgeable and skilled artisan or a group of artisans who designed the ovens to radiate heat inward and minimize the heat escape. Artisans fashioned the ovens to withstand high temperatures and prolonged heating periods, ensuring the ti roots were cooked properly and evenly.
Other archeologists noted the different uses of ti ovens. For instance, in Hawaii, they were used to avert famine where ti roots were cooked in large amounts to provide food for the entire community. In the Cook Islands, cooked ti roots were sent to family members living abroad.
Carson noted that umu ti likely originated in Samoa, or more broadly in the regions of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, and expanded into other Polynesian areas.
He said archeological evidence also showed ti ovens were present in all four major cultural areas of Polynesia—west, central, east, and at least one of the Polynesian outliers.
Carson noted that the earliest suggested period for the existence of ti ovens, based on published radiocarbon dating results, is around c. 900 to 1250. The most common Samoan and New Zealand ti ovens were within the date range of c.1490 to 1650.
However, ti ovens were not present on all Polynesian islands, because some lacked natural sources of large volcanic stones needed for the cooking process.
Raquel Bagnol is a longtime journalist. She worked as a reporter for Marianas Variety on Saipan and Island Times in Palau. Send feedback to gukdako@yahoo.com
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