Kai time in Kāwhia

Kai time in Kāwhia

Kawhia is turning on the kai once again to celebrate Waitangi Day with some traditional flavours on Saturday, February 4.

Now in its 7th year, The Kawhia Kai Festival attracts some 10,000 visitors to a feast of music and entertainment, as well as contemporary and traditional Māori cuisine.

Back for a second year as the event’s MC, Kingi Biddle will be introducing a full-day’s lineup of entertainment in between sampling one of his favourite dishes - Kōki (shark liver paté).

“My stomach and I are really looking forward to being the MC again,” says Kingi, who is of Te Arawa Mataatua iwi descent.

“I sampled everything throughout the day – even the fermented corn! I feel the Kai Festival is a great reflection of Waitangi Day celebrations. It brings the many cultures of Aotearoa together under an indigenous banner.”

Among the more than 25 kai stalls, four local Kāwhia marae will each have a stall dedicated just to hāngi – the most well-known and well-sort after variety of traditional Māori kai, says event organiser Hinga Whiu.

“Each marae prepares a huge underground oven, cooking stones, and food baskets to hold the mountains of pork, chicken, beef, and vegetables cooked for the Festival,” explains Hinga.

“Each hāngi portion is served in traditional ‘kono’ food baskets which have been woven from local flax. Each year the marae teams weave more baskets and prepare more hāngi – and each year we sell out!”

Other traditional and contemporary Māori kai to sample during the Festival includes Toroi (marinated mussels and pūhā), Creamed Pāua and Kina, Īnanga (Whitebait patties), Kānga Wai/Pirau (fermented corn), Pūhā and pork spring rolls, Pāwhara (smoked fish and eel) as well as the local Waikato delicacy - Kōkī (shark liver pate).

As a Festival to celebrate Waitangi Day for all New Zealanders, the event also showcases Māori arts and crafts with demonstrations of rāranga (traditional flax weaving), and tā-moko (traditional tattooing).

Visitors will also be able to enjoy more than two hours of kapahaka performed by Waikato regional kapahaka groups - Ngāti Māhanga Whānui from Whatawhata, and Te Whare Wānaga students.

As the event is also a big reunion for Tainui iwi, Kingi Biddle will kick off the action at 9am on Kāwhia’s Ōmiti Reserve with a mihi whakatau welcome and blessing.

“We aim to create a family event with a decidedly traditional Maori village atmosphere,” says Hinga.

“Visitors will enter through a carved waharoa (gateway) – and the whole site is surrounded by fences made from manuka.”

Held on Ōmiti Reserve by the shores of the tranquil Kāwhia Harbour on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, the Festival is a unique celebration of Māori cuisine and is rated by The Lonely Planet Travel Guide as one of the top ten must see Māori experiences for visitors to visit.

Attracting New Zealanders of all ages and backgrounds, gate entry will be $10 for adults, $5 for those 12 years and under, and children 5 years and under are free.

Ends.

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