Album: Stone Pounder Collection

Kalaupapa National Historical Park

Stone pounders are traditional tools made from stone that are used for pounding taro to prepare poi, as well as for grinding materials for medicine. Most stone pounders are crafted from dense, closed-grained basalt, while more recent versions may be made from stone, metal, or wood. Many of the stone pounders in the collection have been passed down from patients to their relatives or friends.