English name for the Kukui tree is Candlenut, which is a translation of Kukui, meaning light, candle, or torch. In the Old Times, there was no light in the night except for the Kukuis. The tree is sometimes called the Candlenut Tree. The seeds of this plant were brought to Hawai`i by the first Polynesian voyagers. Today this member of the Spurge family commonly grows wild in the lower mountain forest areas and is planted in gardens as a shade tree. The kukui fruit looks like a green fuzzy tennis ball and has a kernel like the pit of a peach. The meat of the seed or kernel is about 50% flammable oil.In old Hawaii kukui nuts (candle nuts) were used as candles for traveling in the po (night), oils for lamps. Hawaiians would bake the nut, crack it, then get out the meat, put 3-8 pieces on the stiff midrib of the niu (coconut) leaf, put the stick in a stone that has been carved out and light it. As each nut burns out it ignites the next one. One nut would last about 3 minutes. Often children were given the responsibility for keeping the "candles" lit.
