Mahinga kai

Mahinga kai refers to traditional food sources. Local water bodies were sources of kaiawa such as tuna, īnanga, kōura and pūhā. Maintaining or restoring water quality is crucial for the provision and harvest of mahinga kai.

The following resources have more information about mahinga kai.

• Waikato River ecology and biodiversity – article

• Whitebaiting – article

• Mahinga kai – article

• Mahinga kai – natural resources that sustain life – use this interactive to explore food and resource-gathering traditions practised by Ngāi Tahu whānau in Te Waipounamu.

• Importance of water for Ngāti Hauā – video

These resources have information about ngā ika taketake wai māori – Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater fish, many of which are mahinga kai. New Zealand’s freshwater fish – introduction is an overview of the resources, with links to the resources in te reo Māori and English. Resources in te reo Māori are listed individually below.

• Ngā ika taketake wai māori o Aotearoa – article

• Ngā karangatanga matua mō te wai māori me ngā ika wai māori – article

• Te ika taketake i te tāone – article

• Ngā mahinga kōawa hei painga mō ngā ika – article

• Te whakamāherehere i ngā panonitanga – article

• Te whakatō otaota ki ngā tapa kōawa – article

• Āwhinahia ngā ika nei! – article

• He painga mō te pāmu, he painga mō te ika – interactive

Acknowledgement: Stella McQueen