MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 October 1938, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

FOOD PLANTS. (Recorded by J.H.S. for "Times-Age.”) The Tawa (Beilschmiedia) is one of our native trees so aptly referred to by Lord Bledisloe, who much prefered the simple Maori to the unpronounceable foreign names used by botanists. Its fruit is like a damson, and with so little that is edible in our forest was much appreciated in its season. The Karaka (Carynocarpaceae) is another embarrassment to linguists and students. It is said to grow only in New Zealand; but from its susceptib l ility to frost and the fact of its being found only near the early Maori villages, it was thought to have come with the canoes. The fruit is eaten by the Maoris, but the kernel is a deadly poison until soaked in a stream for several moons, when it was their only substitute for flour. The Konini (fuschia) berries were a relish, and honey was sucked from its fragrant flowers. Strangely enough, there were many honey producing flowers such as the flax, and numerous honey birds, there were no bees to store it for man’s benefit. The Konini grows to a height of 45 feet and is one of our rare deciduous plants. The Hinau blossom resembles the lily of the valley, its profusion of tiny white cup-shaped flowers hide the dark foliage. The hard seeds were roasted and eaten with relish. The timber is valuable and the. bark yields a dark dye used to blacken the Moko (tattoo). For 20 years after being felled, this wood will not burn. Unlike all other timber, the heart of the tree dissolves, leaving a solid outer shell.