Barter and Trade Event Focuses on Food Abundance

Photo by Jack Kiyonaga

A new type of collaborative program highlights the ethics of food abundance on Molokai. The Barter and Trade event invites Molokai residents to bring excess food from their gardens to share and trade with their neighbors.

“It’s meant to build connections among community members, to celebrate our abundance, to extend generosity by sharing with others, to encourage self-sufficiency and steps toward reducing our dependency on imported goods,” explained event organizer Mercy Ritte.

The project is anchored in the theme “Ko Koa Uka, Ko Koa Kai,” meaning that those from the mountains share their crops and those from the sea share their catch.

“We’re trying to foster true sustainability and encourage connecting with your community,” explained Ritte, “to encourage eating what we have and encourage eating local.”

The event is not emphasizing a strict bartering economy, but rather a more self-directed give and take of goods.

“If you don’t have something to give, that’s fine,” she said. “Just please take what you need.”

The concept for the food event has been of interest to Ritte for a while, but especially as grocery prices have increased over the past several years.

“I definitely think there’s a need for the sharing of food,” she said. “Food is very expensive in stores, and we all have an abundance in our yards…We all have something to share.”

Starting in January, Ritte plans on hosting Trade and Barter every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. outside the Molokai Public Library. In its most recent configuration on Jan. 8, about 40 Molokai residents took advantage of the program to unburden themselves of some of their excess products and grab some foods they might need.

One participant, Paul Hanley, had brought herbs like basil and parsley along with avocados from his home garden. In return, he picked up spices like dill and bay leaves along with tangerine juice and spinach.

Hanley explained that he liked the neighborly focus of the free-flowing trade concept, which helps local foods be used by community members who need them.

Afterall, he explained, “what are you going to do with 100 ulus?”

Check out Barter and Trade on Wednesdays outside the Molokai Public Library from 4 to 6 p.m., hosted by ‘Aina Momona, Sust’ainable Molokai, Kanaeokana and the Molokai Public Library.