Hau
In the old days this plant was so highly valued that a person had to ask the chief for permission to cut it. Today it is often called "hau bush" and is termed an invasive plant, as it has taken over some areas where acres are covered high with hau. It also, creates windbreaks and stabilizes the soil.
Seeds and cuttings of hau were brought by early Polynesian voyagers to Hawai`i. Cork-like hau wood pieces were used as floats on fishnets. The soft wood was also helpful in making fires. A pointed piece of hau was rubbed in a groove of a harder wood, such as kukui. The dust particles of hau that rubbed apart would smolder as the rubbing increased. Then small pieces of coconut fiber or bits of tapa bark cloth were ignited from the hau, and the fire was next put to grasses, sticks and finally to wood.
Hau cordage provided ropes for hauling and many other needs: slings; canoe lashing; strings for bows; net bags; carrying handles for water-gourds; fasteners for lauhala baskets; shark nooses and strands for lei making.
Seeds and cuttings of hau were brought by early Polynesian voyagers to Hawai`i. Cork-like hau wood pieces were used as floats on fishnets. The soft wood was also helpful in making fires. A pointed piece of hau was rubbed in a groove of a harder wood, such as kukui. The dust particles of hau that rubbed apart would smolder as the rubbing increased. Then small pieces of coconut fiber or bits of tapa bark cloth were ignited from the hau, and the fire was next put to grasses, sticks and finally to wood.
Hau cordage provided ropes for hauling and many other needs: slings; canoe lashing; strings for bows; net bags; carrying handles for water-gourds; fasteners for lauhala baskets; shark nooses and strands for lei making.
Resources: https://www.canoeplants.com/hau.html