Papa ku'i is primarily made from wood, although in some cases you will find papa ku'i made from stone. The papa kuʻi ʻai (board) is used together with a pōhaku ku'i 'ai (stone pounder) in traditional food preparation.
Pōhaku kuʻi ʻai or poi pounder is a stone tool used primarily with a papa kuʻi ʻai (poi board) to prepare poi or paʻi ʻai by mashing traditional starch crops such as kalo (taro), uala (sweet potato), or ulu (breadfruit