Hāngi-time in Kāwhia!

2 February 2012

Hāngi-time in Kāwhia!

Probably the world’s largest hāngi feast of traditional Māori kai (food) is being prepared for this weekend’s Kāwhia Kai Festival on Saturday, February 4.

Four local marae are preparing huge earthen pits to cook literally hundreds of chickens, sides of pork and beef, and kumara (sweet potato) for the 10,000 visitors expected at this year’s annual event to celebrate Waitangi Day.

For many New Zealanders, the Festival is only opportunity they have to sample traditional – and contemporary Māori kai – and they come from all over the country to do so, says Festival organiser Lloyd Whiu.

“Hāngi food is slow food – steamed underground in its own juices over some four hours – and it is just so succulent,” enthuses Lloyd.

“It’s served in kono – small baskets woven from flax – so it’s a completely authentic kai experience.”

Each marae has its own team of hāngi experts involved in “putting down the hāngi” starting with digging the umu (underground oven), heating the cooking stones until they are white hot, laying the food in the oven, then covering the food with hessian bags and soil to seal in the heat.

“Knowing the exact time to uncover the hāngi so the kai is perfectly cooked is part of the art that Māori have developed over the last thousand or more years,” explains Lloyd.

“While everyone loves hāngi food – we have plenty of other kai for those with more adventurous culinary taste buds!”

And those other traditional kai come from both the land and sea and include such delicacies as 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).

“Visitors come from all over the country to sample these foods they can’t get anywhere else such as Kamokamo (Marrow) pickle,” says Lloyd.

As an iconic event to celebrate Waitangi Day, the taste of Māori culture at the Kāwhia Kai Festival is rated by the Lonely Planet guide in the top 10 “Must Do” culture events in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Held on Ōmiti Park reserve on the shores of Kāwhia Harbour on the West Coast of New Zealand’s North Island, the Festival offers more than just food with legendary Māori hospitality, entertainment as well as arts & crafts provided throughout the one-day Festival.

Fronting the day’s entertainment running from 9am until 5pm as MC will be Kingi Biddle beginning with a traditional mihi (welcome) at 9am. Also performing will be Hamilton bands The Spiritz, and Zionhill, Stingray, a duet called Tukutuku, as well as two local kapa haka groups - Ngāti Māhanga Whānui from Whatawhata, and Te Taha Tu.

Ardijah will be brining their unique “poly fonk” indigenous sounds as the headline act.

With some 25 kai stalls planned, there will be nearly as many traditional arts and crafts stalls dedicated to showcasing Māori arts and crafts with demonstrations of rāranga (traditional flax weaving), and tā-moko (traditional tattooing).

Even the Festival’s venue is designed along the lines of a traditional Māori village. Visitors enter through a carved waharoa (gateway) – and the whole site is surrounded by fences made from manuka.

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

ENDS

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