Poke. It seems like it’s everywhere these days. Everyone and their Mama/Papa/Aunty/Uncle/Sistah/Braddah/Cousin/Friend has opened up some sort of poke business, eaten at one of these shops, or at the very least, seen references about a poke place at least once in their lifetimes. It is currently a popular source of nourishment around the world, and due to its growing fame, has been featured on TV, print, radio, blogs and vlogs all over.

And yet, too many people don’t know that poke, and all it’s gloriousness specifically originates in Hawai’i. Yuh huh. It’s true. Poke is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) food that is rooted in Polynesia.

Call it a pūpū, call it an hors d’oeuvre, call it a complete meal, call it a snack. Whatever you want to label it as in your diet tracking app is all good. Just don’t call it poke (as in, I’m going to poke your eyes further back into your head) or poki (which means something different entirely.)

Poke is pronounced, “poh-keh” and rhymes with okay. (Without the hard ‘ay’) There is no other way to say it without sounding like a complete kook, but if you don’t mind looking like a doofus and are hard pressed on, ‘pronouncing it however which way you want because you don’t care’, then by all means, keep it up. You’re doing a good job. (Hey, Beta’s need praise too.)

In ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i, (Hawaiian language) the word poke translates to: “to slice, or cut crosswise into…