Kukui nut takes center stage at Canoe Crop Corner during Wailuku First Friday

Maui Visitors Bureau will host its sixth Canoe Crop Corner on Friday, June 6, during Wailuku First Friday, highlighting the cultural and culinary significance of the kukui nut. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Wailuku Garage, first floor, located at 30 N. Church St.

The evening will feature cultural demonstrations, tastings, and storytelling focused on kukui (candlenut), one of Hawaiʻi’s traditional canoe crops brought by early Polynesian voyagers. Cultural advisors Uʻi Kahue and Mario Siatris of Maui Grown 808 will share the history and significance of kukui in Hawaiian life.

Chef Alvin Savella of Coco Deck Lahaina will offer free samples of a kukui nut–inspired poke dish and sell his Lahaina Boy Hot Sauces in mild, medium and hot varieties.

Organizers say the event is a unique opportunity to connect with Maui’s agricultural heritage and experience firsthand the tastes and stories behind these vital canoe crops.

The Canoe Crop Corner for the month of June is presented by the Maui Visitors Bureau with support from the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, Coco Deck Lahaina and Maui Grown 808.