Manaakitaka Reka: Celebrating Matariki

Manaakitaka Reka: Celebrating Indigenous Food Systems and Equitable Futures

Please follow this link to the event video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOI371S-4xw  

Feast Matariki, Aotearoa's premier national food celebration established in 2019, is dedicated to honouring indigenous food stories during a significant time of the year. This initiative showcases a series of kai activations and events across the motu, fostering connections and enhancing capability among hunters, fishers, mahika kai specialists, chefs, small food producers, students, scientists, community leaders, and event organizers.

In 2024, Feast Matariki expanded its storytelling to include the concept of Kai Hau Kai, with events in Ōtautahi, Ōtepoti, and Tāmaki Makaurau. Funded by MBIE, this celebration is a collaborative effort involving EatNZ, Ngāi Tahu, and community partners, raising awareness of Matariki and the importance of food and well-being.

A highlight of the 2024 celebrations was the Manaakitaka Reka event, held on June 26th at Otago Polytechnic’s Manaaki Restaurant in Dunedin. Lecturers and learners from the Food Design Institute and the School of Design collaborated with staff from Te Nohoaka O Tukiauau (Sinclair Wetlands) crafted a public food event embodying the kaupapa: "how indigenous thinking might contribute to a more equitable food system for everyone."

The event, attended by 80 members of the Te Nohoaka O Tukiauau (Sinclair Wetlands) and the Dunedin culinary community, was segmented into three distinctive experiential narratives. The first experience, set in an outdoor environment, delved into traditional kai practices of Southern Te Waipounamu, offering an immersive exploration of indigenous culinary foodways. The second experience examined the colonial era, critically analysing the impact of new food systems introduced during colonisation. The final experience projected a visionary food system embracing regenerative principles and curricula economies, highlighting sustainability, innovation, and multicultural inclusion.

A creatively diverse menu was crafted to reflect these thematic narratives. The first segment featured traditional southern Māori dishes such as kai moana steamed in bull kelp, tītī (mutton bird), and kumara hot-smoked over native aromatics, offering a taste of the past. The second segment highlighted colonial influences with dishes like swede served in bamboo and lamb belly prepared in two distinct ways. The final segment projected a sustainable future with a recovered hazelnut cake served with compressed wind-blown apples and coconut cream, symbolizing a commitment to reducing food waste.

The Manaakitaka Reka event provided a rich, multi-sensory exploration of Aotearoa’s past, present, and future food systems, provoking reflection on the importance of sustainable and indigenous food practices in shaping a better future. Through this event, Feast Matariki continues to honour and elevate the significance of indigenous food stories and their role in fostering an equitable food system for all.