Kai Piro, Oranga Tangata: Māori Fermented Food and Derived Health Benefits to Māori

Project Summary

Kai piro was traditionally a staple component of the Māori diet. However, over time and due to post-european contact, the practice of sourcing, processing, and consumption of kai piro has lessened to the degree in which it is no longer part of the common Māori diet today. The practice of kai piro is maintained today by remnants of an ageing Māori population.

This research asked the questions what are the traditional Māori practices involved in the procurement and processing of kai piro for consumption, and the importance of collecting this data for future generations? 

The project objectives were to record the practices, lived experiences and narratives of the few practitioners and knowledge-holders, and their belief in the health benefits derived from kai piro. The aim was to retain this mātauranga for future generations, with the intention to revitalise these traditional practices, in the hope that kai piro will once again become a staple component in the Māori diet of future generations.

The project achieved its objectives and aims through interviews, and documenting the procurement of the required foodstuffs (plants, trees, kaimoana, shellfish, fish and birds) suitable for processing kai piro for fermentation, and ultimately for consumption. This research formed the background knowledge for future scientific collaborations into the health benefits.

Lead Researcher

Assoc. Prof. Te Kahautu Maxwell, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tai, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Maniapoto, Tūhoe, University of Waikato

Researcher

Daniel Poihipi, Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Tūhoe

Highlights

• Mātauranga Archive: Interviews recorded and preserved for iwi and research use
• Academic Contribution: A Master’s thesis produced on kai piro
• Collaborations: Partnerships formed with Lincoln University, Fonterra, and Callaghan Innovation
• Community Awareness: Strengthened engagement across whānau, hapū, and iwi
• Cultural Revitalisation: Renewed interest in traditional Māori foodways