Tupu-ā-rangi
Ka rawe koe e ngā kai i taona e Rehua.
How wonderful you are, the foods cooked by Rehua.
I am the star Tupuārangi. I connect with food that ‘comes from the sky’, such as the birds, and berries and other fruits of the forest. When you see me bright in the sky the coming year will be a good one for harvesting berries and hunting birds.
Ngā Kai o te Rangi / Food from the Sky
The Tītī, also known as the muttonbird or sooty shearwater, is a migratory seabird, found at a number of locations including the Muttonbird Islands to the south and west of Rakiura Stewart Island. The young birds are considered a delicacy, very rich in flavour and fats from food provided by their parents. Tītī are a popular trading food across Aotearoa New Zealand.
The kererū was once an important food source. The bird’s feathers were used for various items including cloaks. With the passing of the Ngāi Tahu Settlement Act in 1998, the kererū was formally recognised as a taonga (treasured) species and is now protected accordingly.
The Tī Kōuka (cabbage tree) was a significant food source for early Māori and provided a fibre resource prized for its strength.
Tupu-ā-rangi
Ka rawe koe e ngā kai i taona e Rehua
Ko au te whetū, ko Tupuārangi. Ka hono atu au ki ngā kai ‘i ahu mai i te rangi’, arā ko ngā manu me ngā hua rāngaingai, pēnei i ngā hua me ngā patatini o ngā rākau. Ki te kaha piata au, he tau pai tēnei ki te kohi i ngā hua rāngaingai me te hopu manu.
Ngā Kai o te Rangi
Ko te tītī, he manu moana, he manu kaipaoe hoki. Ka rapua ngā tītī ki ngā Moutere Tītī, ki tonga, ki te hauārahi hoki o te motu o Rakiura. Kāore he kai i tua atu i ngā punua tītī, me te konakona matū, me te nui o te hinu.
Ko te kererū hoki tētahi o ngā kai matua i ōna nei wā. Ka whakamahia ngā raukura ki ngā mahi raranga, ā hei whakarākei hoki i ngā tahā huahua me ngā pātua. I te whakaaetanga o the Ngāi Tahu Settlement Act 1998, ki tā te ture, he taonga te kererū, ā ka tiakina ka tika.
Ko te tī kōuka hoki tētahi o ngā kai matua ā te Māori, ā, he rawa raranga hoki ōna nei rau.
Sources / Resources
- Ka taki mai te māuru: When the nor’wester howls Te Karaka
- Tī Kōuka - The Cabbage Tree Christchurch City Libraries
Credits
- Characters: Created by Māui Studios
- Content: Kiri Jarden, Christchurch City Council (in consultation with mana whenua)
- Te reo Māori translation: Corban Te Aika
