Mona Taro Pudding

Mona is a Trobriand pudding usually made from taro and prepared for special occasions. Anthropologist Michelle McCarthy records a fresh-pot version made with her host household in Modawosi, including a Mother’s Day preparation.

Pounded taro gives the pudding its substantial body, while freshly creamed coconut provides richness. A little salt seasons the mixture, whose character rests on the combination of the tuber and coconut.

The fresh mona is served from a large clay pot after a cooling interval. The account describes sharing portions and giving food away, placing the pudding within household and community hospitality.