In 2004 the Tahuri Whenua - National Māori Vegetable Growers Collective was established in response to the loss of Māori horticultural knowledge as well as the loss of local food systems and alarming obesity trends among the Māori. As well as reviving traditional crops and promoting a return to traditional food systems, the collective also explores traditional and non-traditional production systems, markets, indigenous branding, education and research. In Māori, Tahuri Whenua means ‘returning to the land’.

The problem

National health surveys in New Zealand consistently reveal the high prevalence of obesity and non-communicable diseases (i.e. cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes) among the Māori - the indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand. These trends have been mostly attributed to sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary choices as the Māori move to urban areas and away from their lands and highly adapted food production systems. With the shift to urban settings much of the traditional knowledge surrounding the production, processing and storing of local foods is being lost and agricultural/cultural systems are reportedly further threatened by biosecurity risks and corporate ownership.

The Project

Much of the project’s emphasis is on crop production of traditional foods and research into their functional uses supported by the documentation of traditional knowledge. Increasing demand from New Zealanders for wholesome regional foods allowed Tahuri Whenua to join the ‘alternative’ agri-food network while putting Māori cultural heritage at its core. As well as taking part in national research programs for agrobiodiversity conservation, the Tahuri Whenua horticultural venture promotes and markets indigenous crops, participates in crop improvement schemes and raises awareness among local communities and schools of the value of traditional foods.
In 2006 Tahuri Whenua started a nationwide program called Spud in a Bucket where students have the opportunity to grow their own Māori potato plant from seed, harvest the crop and take their potatoes home to cook. A supporting curriculum teaches students important gardening rules and the Māori use of the lunar calendar to guide planting.
To promote the use of traditional vegetables, a recipe book was also produced focusing on 30 traditional Māori green vegetables (korare) sourced from freshwater or coastal areas, forest, bush, weeds in crops or crops themselves. The book serves as a comprehensive guide for korare providing background information, which plant parts to eat and how to prepare them, recipes, uses, genealogy and some nutritional information.

Stakeholder involvement

Individuals from all over New Zealand as well as tribal, sub-tribal and family groupings, including schools and Māori entities, make up the Society’s governing committee, with each member representing their own land and horticultural interests. Core Māori values underpin Tahuri Whenua and several mechanisms provide the opportunity for stakeholders to interact, share, and disseminate knowledge and experience. Personal interaction, known to Māori as kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) is fostered by regular traditional gatherings (hui). The creation of a website, participation in radio and TV programmes have also fostered knowledge sharing, as have a series of publications in Māori and English relating to crop management issues and traditional knowledge.

Impact

Since the collective was established:

• there has been growing interest in traditional foods and medicines and also increased niche market opportunities for these plants and foods.  
• there has been a significant increase in Maori produce suppliers and a presence of Māori traditional vegetables in ‘farmers markets’
• the Collective is being engaged by breeders to provide indigenous plant material for research into pest-resistant stocks. Already, virus-free stocks of Māori potato can be purchased from the Collective, generating positive economic returns for crop growers
• In the summer of 2010 over 60 schools were involved in the Spud in a bucket project with over 4000 children growing their own Māori potatoes. The 2012/13 growing season will be the seventh year that the project has been running.

Lessons learned

• New generations are keen to learn about traditional experiences
• Cross-generational communication is a key driver to ensuring traditional horticulture and land-use opportunities are available to all Māori
• Loss of diversity of traditional food choices is an ongoing and urgent issue for Māori