1 Year Done
After years away in Auckland, we returned home to Wairoa and began reconnecting with the whenua, awa, and moana through gathering kai. Here’s what we learned during our first year of hunting, fishing, diving, and providing food for our whānau.
After spending many years away from our hometown of Wairoa, living in Auckland, we finally returned home. Coming back helped us realise how fortunate we are to live in a place surrounded by rivers, coastline, bush, and an abundance of kai.
Food was all around us and much of it was free. I’m always keen for a free feed!
Our kai-gathering journey began on the awa, where I started setting nets and catching kahawai, flounder, and mullet. Yummmmm! There was something special about bringing home fresh kai that we had gathered ourselves.
When we first returned to Wairoa, I didn’t have any work, so I had plenty of free time. Instead of sitting around, I became eager to get outdoors, learn new skills, and discover more ways of gathering kai.
I started reaching out to people who could help me. Some of my old classmates, including Sensei and Skeeps, joined me, with others coming along throughout the journey. I was determined to learn as much as I could.
Within a few months of being home, I gained my firearms licence, which opened the door for me to begin hunting. The problem was that I didn’t have anyone to teach me or at least no one I knew who was willing or available. That made getting started difficult.
Seek it - Hunt it - Gather it -
Seek it - Hunt it - Gather it -
Eventually, I reached out to a well-known lady whom many people know as Aunty T. She took me on my first real hunt and taught me how to skin an animal and bone out the meat properly. It was an unforgettable experience and gave me the confidence and practical knowledge I needed to keep learning.
We also spent time diving and drag netting for flounder. After learning from Aunty T and gaining more hands-on experience, we were able to focus more seriously on our journey as kai gatherers.
Since then, we have experienced many different ways of gathering kai, including hunting, spin fishing, net setting, drag netting, collecting oysters and pipi, diving, and much more.
Every trip has taught us something new. Sometimes we come home with plenty of kai, and other times we come home with nothing but even then, we gain knowledge and experience. We are learning to understand the whenua, the awa, the moana, the weather, and the habits of the animals and fish we pursue.
““The land and waters around us do more than provide kai they reconnect us with home, whānau, and the skills worth passing on.””
More importantly, this journey has helped us reconnect with our hometown, spend time with good people, provide food for our whānau, and appreciate everything that Wairoa has around us.
There is still so much for us to learn, but this is only the end of Year One.
Our second year will be about building on what we have learned, trying new things, sharpening our skills, and passing that knowledge on to our children. We want them to understand where their food comes from and to experience the satisfaction of gathering kai with their own hands.
Looking back, we are grateful to everyone who has helped us, taught us, joined us, and encouraged us along the way.
This journey has only just begun and Year Two is going to be even better.