Wānanga
Kai Māori wānanga across the motu
Every wānanga looks a little different — shaped by its own rohe, its own rongoā, and the people who show up to share it. Here's where we've been so far.
Orongomai Marae
With no ngāhere nearby, we travelled to Pākuratahi to forage rongoā rich and diverse in rākau. One kuia, who grew up in Tūhoe, remembered cooking this way as a child and left determined to take the knowledge home to her whānau.
Hongoeka Marae
A wānanga for Department of Conservation staff spending several days at the marae learning about te ao Māori — kai Māori was one part of a much bigger picture, aimed at deepening how they engage with Māori through their work.
Te Piiti Marae
Our first of two visits. For one attendee, foraging in the nearby ngāhere was a way to walk the same routes and touch the same rocks her tūpuna once had — a reminder that these wānanga are as much about reconnecting to te taiao and whakapapa as they are about kai.
Te Pātunga Marae
The first of many wānanga alongside Rangatahi Ora, who've joined us at almost every one since. We prepared close to two dozen kōura gifted as koha, and spent an evening fishing for tuna with the haukainga — until a local kuia had to step in and show us how to de-slime one properly.
Te Uri o Hina Marae
The furthest north we'd travelled at the time, with several returning faces bedding in what they'd learned before. Marae Television filmed a segment on Joe and the wānanga, and one kaumātua spoke about the disappearing art of a true hāngī — welcoming the return of that knowledge to the marae.
Kearoa Marae
Sponsored by Parakore and Whānau Ora, with a session on Kai Rotorua and kūmara revitalisation at Te Puia. One attendee said she'd expected talks about rongoā — instead she found it hands-on, and left excited by rongoā as prevention rather than cure.
Rangahaua Marae
With little ngāhere nearby, we travelled to Ātene to forage rongoā for wrapping the hākari. In the heat of the day, Joe ran a cooking demonstration using kai moana gifted as koha by attendees.
Te Piiti Marae
Invited back for a second wānanga, where several attendees shared they'd already started using rongoā in their own cooking, and preparing hāngī Joe's way rather than with tin foil. A haukainga member took us to the Hokianga to collect karahu, tio and ureure for the hākari.
Hurunui o Rangi Marae
Foraging in the nearby Carter Scenic Reserve in rural Wairarapa, including raupō heads full of pollen — traditionally gathered and formed into cakes. Local kaumātua shared stories of the rohe and its plants as we collected, grounding the rongoā in local history.
Te Hora Marae
Set among the Marlborough Sounds, with a scenic reserve of original native rākau close by. We gathered a wide range of native berries for the hākari.
Owae Marae
A huge turnout, with attendees bringing their own kai gathered from the whenua and awa — tuna, piharau, kamokamo, taewa, and a rēwena bug that still travels with us. The haukainga ran the hāngī pit themselves, with a second team turning up already in aprons, ready to take over the hākari.
Ōrākei Marae
Overlooking Tāmaki Makaurau and Rangitoto, with kaumātua Mervyn sharing the history of the whenua. Alongside a regenerating ngāhere, Ōrākei has its own extensive māra kai, which we harvested from directly.
Kohupātiki Marae
The haukainga had been re-establishing the ngāhere beside the river, still young but generous enough to forage from. Local hunters supplied possum and goat for the hākari, alongside fruit from nearby orchards.
Takapūwāhia Marae
Local gatherers brought in bins of kina, kōura and pāua, transformed into dishes for a huge turnout. Nearby ngāhere supplied all the rongoā we needed, and the wānanga closed with some deeply moving waiata.
Te Āwhina Marae
Held at Motueka, in the top of the South Island, hosted alongside Massey University's Research Centre for Hauora & Health.
Wainuiomata Marae
Held in Lower Hutt, hosted alongside Kōkiri Hauora.
Naumai Marae
Held at Ruawai, hosted alongside Rangatahi Ora.
Kaiuku Marae
Held at Māhia, hosted alongside Rongomaiwahine Iwi Trust.
Naumai Marae
A return visit to Northland, this time hosted alongside Te Uri o Hau Environs.
Mataarae Marae
Held in the Tauhara rohe, near Taupō.
Taihoa Marae
Held at Wairoa, hosted alongside Tatau Tatau o Te Wairoa.
Read the fuller story of how this journey started on Tō Mātou Haerenga.