ʻOpihi

The ʻopihi is a native marine snail found across Hawaiʻi.  ʻOpihi are known to cling to rocks through the toughest weather and waves, and are often compared to keiki (children) who also cling to their mākua (parents).  These limpets, which are consumed as a Native Hawaiian delicacy, grow strong in their demanding environment, just as we hope our keiki will become resilient as they navigate life's challenges. 

 

There are four species of ʻopihi, all of which are consumed as a Native Hawaiian delicacy. Gatherers brave dangerous waves to quickly pluck ʻopihi from the rocks. ʻOpihi use their strong feet to attach themselves to the rocks to prevent being swept away by the waves or being pried off by a hungry predator.

ʻOpihi can be eaten raw or cooked and taste briney like the ocean with a pleasant cunch. We prefer eating smaller ʻopihi raw and cooking the larger ones over a grill and topping with shoyu and chili pepper water. 

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find ʻopihi today in many places due to over harvesting. Thankfully, there are ongoing collaborative efforts between community, scientists, and regulators to restore ʻopihi populations to enable future generations to enjoy. Check out these links for information on some of these efforts:

Restoring ʻOpihi | PBS HAWAIʻI DIGITAL EXCLUSIVEYouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watch

https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/Opihi-Rest-Area-Study-2014-2017.pdf

This print was created by HNLdesigns with custom colorways specifically for Kaleimamo Hawaiʻi.