The Ngati Hamua and kai book has been produced to introduce all people to the kinds of food our ancestors ate for hundreds of years. Well most of them because some have arrived in the last 200 years.
All of the foods are still available locally and with the exception of endangered wildlife and poisonous berries can be gathered and sampled according to seasonal availability. Some of the food is a bit smelly or could taste a bit funny but most is good for you. There are a few that have quite a lot of sugar but they are very yummy. If you are a kid take an adult out and look around for the trees, plants, birds and fish. You don’t have to hurt anything just see if you can spot them.
Only a selection of foods have been highlighted in this book, many others were used, especially when more variety became available with the arrival of people from different lands. Yet one way or another some of our people have continued to enjoy both the foods that were once abundant naturally and those that have become common place through introduction.
A simple google search on the internet can provide more informa-tion and recipes. Just try typing in a key word such as Manuka and numerous sites with information on this tree will come up.
Please give the foods a go, although it is even satisfying to observe when different native plants and trees yield best so that you can their bounty.
