It was introduced throughout the entire range of the Austronesian expansion during prehistoric times (c. 5,000 BP), including Micronesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar.

Polynesian arrowroot have been identified as among the cultivated crops in Lapita sites in Palau, dating back to 3,000 to 2,000 BP.

The roots are bitter if not prepared properly, thus it was only cultivated as a secondary crop to staples like Dioscorea alata and Colocasia esculenta.

Flowers are borne on tall stalks in greenish-purple umbel-like clusters surrounded by large bracts with long whisker-like appendages, their function is unknown.

The settled starch is rinsed repeatedly to remove the bitter taste from taccalin, a kind of poisonous substance, and then dried.

In Hawaii, a local favorite is haupia, which was originally made with pia flour, coconut cream and kō (cane sugar).

The starch was additionally used to stiffen fabrics, and on some islands, the stem's bast fibres were woven into mats.

Mixed with water and red clay, the plant was consumed to treat diarrhea and dysentery.