The Ancient Art of Cooking Underground
Long before gas stoves or electric ovens, Pacific Island communities mastered one of the most ingenious cooking methods in the world: the earth oven. Known as umu in Samoa and Tonga, and lovo in Fiji, this technique uses superheated rocks buried in the ground to slow-cook food to tender, smoky perfection. Today, earth oven cooking remains central to feasts, celebrations, and Sunday family gatherings across the Pacific.
What Is an Umu / Lovo?
An earth oven is essentially a pit dug into the ground (or built above ground with rocks) where volcanic or basalt rocks are heated by a wood fire until they're glowing hot. Food is then wrapped and placed on or between the rocks, covered with leaves and earth, and left to cook using retained heat and steam. The result is food that is deeply flavoured, moist, and infused with a subtle smokiness.
How It's Done: Step by Step
- Building the fire: Hardwood logs are arranged with volcanic rocks stacked on top or around them. The fire burns for one to two hours until the rocks are white-hot.
- Preparing the food: Whole pigs, fish, taro, cassava, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, and palusami (taro leaves cooked in coconut cream) are wrapped in banana leaves or foil to retain moisture.
- Loading the oven: Once the fire dies down, the glowing rocks are arranged and food parcels are carefully placed on them, often layered strategically.
- Covering and sealing: Layers of banana leaves, hessian sacks, and earth are piled on top to trap the heat and steam inside.
- Cooking time: Depending on the quantity and type of food, cooking takes anywhere from one to three hours.
- Uncovering the feast: Opening the umu or lovo is a communal moment — the rising steam, the aroma, and the reveal of perfectly cooked food is always met with excitement.
Common Foods Cooked in an Earth Oven
| Food | Notes |
|---|---|
| Whole pig | The centrepiece of most celebrations; takes 2–3 hours |
| Taro | Becomes fluffy and slightly sweet when cooked underground |
| Palusami | Taro leaves stuffed with coconut cream and onion, wrapped in foil |
| Breadfruit | Starchy and filling; often placed whole in the oven |
| Fish and shellfish | Wrapped in leaves with coconut milk and aromatics |
| Cassava (tapioca) | Dense root vegetable that softens beautifully in the heat |
Cultural Significance Beyond the Food
The umu and lovo are never just about cooking. Preparing an earth oven is a communal effort — men typically build and tend the fire, while women prepare the food parcels and accompanying dishes. The process brings extended families and communities together for hours before the meal even begins. In Samoa, Sunday umu is a near-sacred weekly ritual, the smoke rising from neighbourhoods across the island as a visible symbol of family and faith.
Earth Ovens at Celebrations
You'll encounter the lovo or umu at virtually every major Pacific celebration: weddings, funerals, first birthdays, church feasts, national holidays, and village fundraisers. If you're fortunate enough to be invited to share in one, it's one of the most authentic and memorable food experiences the Pacific has to offer.
Can You Try This at Home?
While a full underground umu requires space and the right rocks, many Pacific families in diaspora communities have adapted the method using large pots, slow cookers, or even backyard fire pits. The spirit of gathering, wrapping food in leaves, and cooking low and slow can be replicated in many ways — but nothing quite matches the original.