Featured Plant of the Week: Kalo

As we celebrate Hawaiian History Month this September, I wanted to share something deeply personal - the story behind our kalo logo and why this sacred plant became the heart of everything we do at The Keiki Dept.

If you've ever wondered about that distinctive heart-shaped leaf in our logo, you're looking at one of Hawaii's most sacred plants. Kalo isn't just a plant to us - it's family. And that's not just a saying - it's rooted in one of Hawaii's most important creation stories.

In the Hawaiian creation story, Hāloa was the first born human, conceived from the akua (gods). Papa, the sky father, and Wākea, the earth mother had a daughter, Hoʻohōkūkalani, who gave birth to a stillborn child named Hāloa. With great love and care, Hāloa was wrapped in hala and buried in the ʻāina (land).

From the place where the child was buried, something beautiful happened - a plant grew. This was the first kalo plant, with its distinctive heart-shaped leaves that flutter in the wind.

Not long after, Hoʻohōkūkalani gave birth to another baby boy, who was given the name Hāloa in honor of his elder brother. This second Hāloa became the first Hawaiian person, progenitor and aliʻi (chief) to the Hawaiian people.

This sacred story tells us that kalo is literally our elder brother - feeding us physically through its nutritious root that becomes poi, and spiritually through its connection to our ancestors and the land.

When I was deciding on a logo for The Keiki Dept, I knew I wanted something that represented our mission of connecting keiki to their Hawaiian roots. But I didn't expect to find something so perfect, so meaningful.

Kalo chose us as much as we chose it.

This sacred plant embodies everything we stand for: it roots us to our past through ancient stories and traditions, grounds us in our present through the act of caring for the land, and connects us to our future by teaching our keiki about their cultural heritage.

When we care for kalo, we care for the land that sustains us all. When we share the story of kalo, we're sharing the story of family, connection, and responsibility to our ʻāina.

Every time you see our kalo leaf logo on a swaddle, a onesie, or our Loʻi Kalo Collection, remember this story. Remember that you're not just wearing clothing - you're carrying forward a tradition that connects us all to the land, to each other, and to the generations that came before and will come after.

In a world that often feels disconnected, kalo reminds us that we're all part of something bigger. We're all related - to each other, to the plants, to the ʻāina that sustains us.

I'd love to hear from you. Have you ever grown kalo? Do you have memories of eating poi with your ʻohana? What does this story mean to you?

Share your thoughts in the comments below. These conversations are what make our community so special.

If this story speaks to you, I invite you to explore our kalo-inspired pieces.

Browse Our Kalo Collection