The History of Seaweed Use - Polynesia
The ancient Hawaiians grew kelp gardens. They used 60-70 species of seaweed
for food, medicine, ceremonies and leis. In Hawaii, the Hawaiians believe
that a shark-man was killed and the ashes turned into a reddish seaweed
that was deadly. The Hawaiians smeared it on their spears to make the
spears fatal.
Tongans had a story of Limu Moui. Limu Moui would give
the Tongans long and healthy lives. For a long time, the Tongans
were the only people who knew the secret of Limu Moui. The Tongans ate
Limu Moui for 3,000 years. Then when Captain Cook visited Tonga in 1777, the
Tongans offered him Limu Moui to restore his strength and energy.
Scientist believes that Limu Moui is a nutritional product.
As you can see, seaweed has always been important to everyone. It is not
just a modern source of food or for other human uses.