Kumara to Kimchi- From Aotearoa to New Zealand in Food

Having travelled and worked in New Zealand for eight months the food available there really helps you to understand how its culture has evolved.

Having survived the scary Haka (traditional Maori war cry), eating a Hangi as part of a Maori evening helped me to understand the Polynesian culture and food the Maori brought to what they called Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud). This traditional meal cooked in a pit with hot stones seems to provide the hearty mix of meat and vegetables such as Kumara (sweet potato) needed to make the Maori such tough warriors and hunters and now rugby players!

Trying the wide variety of great pies in New Zealand gave me the chance to see a great take on the food influences European settlers had brought with them- a good hearty pie is great food to help cope with the struggles early settlers faced. The pies available range from those reflecting the farming the European’s developed such as Lamb and Mint to gourmet recipes such as Port and Plum. Chicken and Kumara pie mixes both the Maori and European heritage reflecting the blending of the two cultures over the years.

The new cultures that have settled in New Zealand more recently are represented in the cuisines you can taste. Relish in the chance to try slightly less commonly available cuisines such as Cambodian and Korean through dishes such as Kimchi. The chance for the more adventurous to try unusual foods such as Huhu grubs at the Hokitika Wild Foods Festival reflects the many extreme sports developed here.

The cuisines available provides many reflections on how culture has developed in New Zealand and shows how such a small country has often punched above its weight in areas such as sport. The food available reflects the general appeal of New Zealand to travellers- not all of the activities available are unique to New Zealand but it does them well.

With food as with everything else New Zealand has to offer get out there, try as much of it as you can and enjoy it!