Matariki – week three: favourite local Māori food

This blog is brought to you by Dora Langsbury, Māori Learning Advisor. Content for this blog was provided by the CCC library website.

https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/traditional-maori-food/

https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/te-waipounamu-and-mahinga-kai/

Kai (food) was an important part of Māori events such as Matariki festivals or tangi (funerals). Different rohe (regions) had their speciality foods. These were always served at such special occasions to show manaakitanga (hospitality) to their guests and to uphold the mana (status) of the mana whenua (hosts). Most hapū (subtribe) in the Ngai Tahu rohe have their marae near the coastline and kai moana (sea food) is usually considered their speciality food. There are six Ngāi Tahu hapu marae nearby to Christchurch, Rapaki, Onuku, Wairewa, Koukourarata, Taumutu and Ngā Tuahuriri.

Below is a list of their specialities:

• Rāpaki – pioke (lemon fish)
• Ōnuku – hoka (red cod)
• Wairewa – tuna & hāpuka (eel & grouper)
• Koukourārata – kuku (mussels)
• Taumutu – tuna & pātaki (eel & flounder)
• Ngā Tūāhuriri – kōura & tuatua (mollusc)

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in some of the food gathering practices (mahinga kai) of Ngāi Tahu, then this link will take you to 12 ten-minute videos which describe these processes which have been handed down through the generations. https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/culture/mahinga-kai/

Kupu o te rā o Ara whare pukapuka

• pioke (lemon fish) 
• hoka (red cod) 
• kuku (mussels) 
• tuna (eel) 
• kōura (crayfish) 

Waiata mō te kai moana

Kina, kina (sea eggs)

Wheke, wheke (octopus)

Ika, ika (scaly fish)

Tuna, tuna (slimy eel)

Pipi, pipi (sandy white shell fish)

Paua, paua (abalone)

Kai moana e (they are all food from the sea)

https://www.facebook.com/BlenheimEarlyChildhood/videos/kina-kina-waiata/1782627831821129/

Matariki – week two

This blog is brought to you by Dora Langsbury, Māori Learning Advisor. Content for this blog was provided by Te Ara The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand website and The Spin Off website.

https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year

https://teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year/page-2

https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/07-08-2018/move-over-astrology-its-time-to-return-to-the-maori-lunar-calendar/

Traditional Māori used the stars (whetū) to determine time and seasons. The rise of Matariki would signify remembrance, fertility and celebration. The portents of the star cluster, when it rose, determined when the crops for the coming season would be planted. If the stars were bright planting would begin in September. Hazy and closely bunched stars signified a cold winter and planting would be delayed until October. Matariki was a time of celebration as the star cluster rises at the end of the harvest (hauhake). People sung, danced and feasted (hākari) to acknowledge the abundance of food (kai) stored from the previous year and acknowledge the beginning of a new year.

Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, is like the moon (marama) planting calendars of other indigenous cultures. Māori and Pacific people are reviving and reconnecting with maramataka to restore systems and knowledge of planting, gathering and harvesting, both on land and in the waters and air. This calendar helps to identify the best days for planting, fishing and harvesting, as well as help to predict the year ahead. The Allright campaign have produced Te Rātaka o te Maramataka that you can download from their website to start your lunar. https://www.allright.org.nz/free-resources/te-rataka-o-te-marama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kupu o te rā o Ara whare pukapuka

• Whetū – stars
• Marama – moon
• Maramataka – Māori lunar calendar
• Kai – food
• Hauhake – harvest
• Hakari – celebration meal

Karakia mō te kai

Tēnei te whakamoemiti               We give thanks

Mō ngā ringawera                         to the hands

i whakaritea i ēnei kai                   who prepared this food

mai i te rangi                                   from the sky

mai i te whenua                             from the land

mai i te taiao                                   from the environment

Mauri ora!                                       Good health!

The Southern Cupcake Challenge 2020: Winners Circle

This week saw the judging of the annual Southern Cupcake Challenge run at the Timaru and Ashburton Campuses. Participants entered six cupcakes with a theme of Winter with various prizes for the winners.

Some of the cupcake entries for 2020

 

 

Winners of the Cupcake challenge for 2020 are: Joanne Fraser 1^st place…

 Joanne Fraser (right)  receives her prize as the Cupcake Grand Winner

                             …Leonie Rasmussen was in 2^nd place and…

 Leonie Rasmussen (left) receiving her prize

 

…Karl Basill was the 3rd place winner.

Karl Basill receiving his prize

We would like to thank everyone who entered.  Big thanks to Jill Millburn who organised the “Cupcake Challenge” for part of our Health & Wellbeing program.

 

Author: Helen Purdon (Posted by Jonathan Moake)

Celebrating Matariki

 

 

 

 

 

 

This blog is brought to you by Dora Langsbury, Māori Learning Advisor

From ancient through to modern times many cultures around the world have used the moon and the stars to guide their planting and food harvesting strategies. The Matariki star cluster is used by many Māori iwi (tribes) to signal the start of their food planning for the coming year. Some iwi on the west coast of Aotearoa (New Zealand) use Puanga (Rigel in the Orion constellation) as the Matariki cluster is not visible. Māori New Year festivities begin either on the first full moon after the star cluster rises, or on the next new moon. You will see the Matariki cluster on the north-east horizon, before sunrise, from early June. It is the star cluster closest to Earth. In 2020 the Matariki period is 13-20 July.  

Watch a video on how to find Matariki  

Matariki has nine visible stars, according to leading Māori astronomer, Dr Rangi Matamua, who’s been researching Matariki for over 30 years. As part of his research, Dr Matamua found that some of his own tūpuna were able to see nine stars. 

The nine visible stars include: Matariki, Tupuārangi, Waipuna-ā-Rangi, Waitī, Tupuānuku, Ururangi, Waitā, Pōhutukawa and Hiwa-i-te-Rangi. 

Each star holds a certain significance over our wellbeing and environment, as seen from the Māori view of the world. 

Matariki is the star that signifies reflection, hope, our connection to the environment and the gathering of people. Matariki is also connected to the health and wellbeing of people. 

Pōhutukawa is the star connected to those that have passed on. 

Waitī is connected with all fresh water bodies and the food sources that are sustained by those waters. 

Waitā is associated with the ocean, and food sources within it. 

Waipuna-ā-Rangi is connected with the rain. 

Tupuānuku is the star connected with everything that grows within the soil to be harvested or gathered for food. 

Tupuārangi is connected with everything that grows up in the trees: fruits, berries and birds. 

Ururangi is the star connected with the winds. 

Hiwa-i-te-Rangi is the star connected with granting our wishes, and realising our aspirations for the coming year. 

Watch a video of Dr Rangi Matamua talking about Matariki 

 

Kupu o te rā o Te Whare Pukapuka o Ara 

• Matariki 
• Waitī & Waitā 
• Waipuna-ā-rangi 
• Tupu-ā-nuku & Tupu-ā-rangi 
• Ururangi 

Waiata mō Matariki 

Waitī, Waitā, Waipunarangi,  

Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Ururangi e  

Koinei ngā tamariki o Matariki  

(These are the children of Matariki)  

Ngā whetū e pīataata i te rangi e  

(The bright stars that shine in the sky)  

Ngā whetū e pīataata i te rangi e  

(The bright stars that shine in the sky)

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/maori/matariki-maori-new-year/whare-tapere/waiata-song  

The content for this blog was provided by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa website and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa website      

Southern Cupcake Challenge 2020

The annual Southern Campuses Cup Cake Challenge is happening once again on Tuesday the 21st July.

The final day for entries is Tuesday 21^st July by 10am (Entries will be accepted from 2pm on Monday 20^th July) in the Timaru Campus staff room. Competitors will be allocated a number for their entry and judging will take place after morning tea by the hospitality team.

Cupcakes need to be winter themed…

A few hints and tips for you:

• If you haven’t made it yourself-remove the wrappers….😊
• 6 cup cakes to be presented
• They need to be in a Winter theme
• They will be judged on- Flavour- Aroma- Creativity -Theme ( all entries will be tasted).

More Winter themed cupcakes….snowflakes!!!

There are some great prizes up for grabs from 1^st place and the title of “Southern Campuses Cup Cake Challenge Winner 2020”

There are also prizes for 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th place.

If you are still looking for inspiration or recipes, give one of the hospitality team at Timaru Campus a shout 😊 😊

 

Author: Helen Purdon posted by Jonathan Moake

Why the 7th July is an important day

Can you guess why this today is a very important day. No idea? Today is . . .

World Chocolate Day, also known as International Chocolate Day!

What’s the history of chocolate?

Chocolate was first introduced to Europe in the mid-16th Century (“History of Chocolate,” 2020). But chocolate consumption actually goes back about 4,000 years – the ancient Olmec people of Latin America drank a form of hot chocolate and used it as a medicine (Kim, 2019). When the European explorers arrived in South American Cacao beans became a very valuable trade commodity. Cacao beans are the most raw form of what eventually becomes chocolate.

Cacao Beans are the raw ingrediant for making chocolate…

Back to today…

How do we celebrate this awesome World Chocolate Day?

No prizes for the correct answer. Yes, celebrate by consuming (even more) chocolate. What’s your favourite chocolate? Cadbury dairy milk, Whittakers fruit and nut, Queen Anne boxed chocolates or an Italian Ferrero Rocher? What about the pricey but definitely worth it handmade Belgian or Swiss chocolate? Whatever your preference just enjoy…

Queen Anne boxed chocolates…

Why not try a different variety of chocolate today. It’s a great idea – you never know what you’re missing, till you try it for yourself!

Is Chocolate Good for Us?

Wait a minute! Isn’t overindulgence in chocolate not exactly good for our waistline and overall health? What does the science say. Milk chocolate, seemingly the most popular and affordable type of chocolate in the world, gives us beneficial protein and calcium. But milk chocolate is often very high in sugar, which has been linked to tooth decay, diabetes, cardio-vascular ailments and other health issues. So, it seems that we need to curb our over-indulgence in milk chocolate.

Figure 1. Chocolates (JillWellington, n.d.).

What about dark chocolate?

Dark chocolate has been touted as a healthier chocolate. The reason..its main ingredient cocoa has biologically active phenolic compounds, which Nordqvist (2018) says may benefit us by:
• lowering cholesterol levels
• preventing cognitive decline
• reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems

Dark chocolate has many positive health benefits…

 

Takeaway: Based on what is known, it seems that eating high cocoa content dark chocolate that is low in sugar is beneficial, especially for those of us who enjoy chocolate frequently.

How is Chocolate Made?

Curious about how chocolate is made? Watch this very interesting video while savouring your chocolate!

References:

History of chocolate. (2020, July 5, 08:20). In Wikipedia. Retrieved July 7, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_chocolate
JillWellington. (Photographer). (n.d.). Chocolates [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/photos/valentine-s-day-chocolates-candy-2057745/
Kim, J. (2019, October 16). A brief history of chocolate [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.chocolate.org/blogs/chocolate-blog/a-brief-history-of-chocolate
Nordqvist, J. (2018, July 17). Health benefits and risks of chocolate. Retrieved July 7, 2020, from Medical News Today website: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270272

Leonard Yeo,  posted by Jonathan Moake

Library opening hours in semester two

I am pleased to announce that the City Campus library will be returning to our usual hours of operation starting from the beginning of semester two.

 

From Monday the 20th July the Library will be open:

Monday-Friday      7 am-8 pm

 Saturday                  10 am-5 pm

     Sunday                    12 noon-5 pm

We also welcome back our Student Assistant Team (SALT) for the first time since the Covid-19 lockdown. You will see them working around the library from 7 am on the Monday after the semester break.

Our opening hours are extended from semester two….

 

From all of us in the library we wish you a restful semester break and look forward to seeing you soon.

 

July the 4th is American Independence Day…

This Saturday is the 4th of July or American Independence Day.

On this day in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was ratified by the Continental Congress and the American colonies formally severed ties with Great Britain. This happened during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) and was one of many steps in the United States becoming a sovereign nation.

Declaration of Independence: (1819) by John Turnbull

Independence Day is perhaps the most important holiday in the United States and it is widely celebrated with decorations, fireworks, parades, barbecues and football games. For many Americans the day is a significant celebration of their identity and has become deeply steeped with emotion, tradition and pride.

Typical July 4th fare….hot-dogs, potato salad and BBQ beans…

I imagine that celebrations are going to be a bit subdued in the United States this Independence Day as they have been severely effected by the Covid-19 pandemic. That is why it is especially important that we acknowledge the day for any Americans of our acquaintance.

Make sure you wish any American you know a happy Independence Day tomorrow. I am sure they will appreciate it.

For more information about Independence Day:

Fourth of July: Independence Day

The rules of American Football

The National Football League (NFL)

Delish: 22 All American eats for 4^th July

Womans Day: The ultimate 4^th July menu for your summer cookout