Kai Rotorua

Exciting progress on the hāngī pit as we prepare for Matariki. 🔥

The pit is now being lined with firebricks before the stones are placed, helping take some of the heavy lifting out while still honouring the essence of the process. Instead of wire baskets, kai will be held in harakeke baskets — a return to older ways.

The cover over the pit is now complete and things are beginning to take shape. Watch this space as the vision unfolds.

A special thank you to the whānau from Kohutapu Lodge Galatea, who came to help, share wonderful kōrero and kai before returning home to Galatea, Murupara and Kawerau. We are so grateful for these moments of connection, knowledge sharing and collective mahi. 💛

Following our recent post on the kūmara harvest, this beautiful episode from RNZ gives a much richer sense of the day. 🌿

It weaves together the stories, relationships, history, and values held within the harvest — from mātauranga Māori and connection to whenua, to the importance of passing traditions on to younger generations through shared mahi and kai. It also speaks to the deeper role food sovereignty, community, and collective effort play in strengthening wellbeing and belonging.

A beuatiful listen. Ngā mihi nui to RNZ for featuring us and sharing the kaupapa. 💛

"A humble kai rooted in tradition" - Kai Rotorua's annual kumara harvest episode of Here Now Every year, Kai Rotorua's kumara harvest attracts a group of volunteers keen to connect with sustainable practices and te ao Maori. This year, the harvest circle widened even further, with students from across South Asia joining the mahi on a spring day.

We continue to bless the papakāinga with permanent features.

In the far south-eastern corner, a permanent hāngī pit is taking shape for Matariki. A huge thanks to the Te Māioha Youth Justice boys for their help with the heavy lifting, and to Bunnings Warehouse New Zealand for the corrugated iron. With Ray and Wayne leading the build, the roof is now up.

The design is simple, using firebricks and hāngī stones, keeping a strong focus on the traditions of the hāngī. Watch this space!

This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of hosting a beautiful Seed Propagation Workshop facilitated by Jemma from The Eastern Field.
Jemma held the space with warmth, enthusiasm, and expertise, and despite the rain, it was truly a day well spent.

It was an inspiring, hands-on session filled with an enthusiastic and curious group of participants, all bringing thoughtful questions and a real hunger to learn. Jemma generously shared her knowledge on the journey from seed to seedling - exploring germination, nutrient stages, and the key growth phases that set plants up for success. She also spoke about the importance of heritage seedlings, their benefits for strengthening community food systems, and how they differ from hybrid varieties.
Everyone had the opportunity to sow their own pea and lettuce seeds to take home, learning practical techniques, including watering, and how to recognise when seedlings are ready to transplant into the garden.

For our afternoon kai we were spoilt with beautiful vegan treats from our community member and attendee Junko Tanaka!

We would like to express a big thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a special gathering.