Christchurch kai

Tu Tangata, Issue 21, 1 December 1984, Page 48

Christchurch kai

by Sally Blundell

rtook two relatively inexperienced people to launch a restaurant steeped in traditional cuisine.

Finally, finally, finally someone has had the idea to replace the endless string of French, Chinese, Greek, Mexican, and Indian restaurants, which grow in every city like well-composted weeds, with a new kind of eating house. One that we can call our own. Hidden in one of Christchurch’s newest shopping complexes, on one of Christchurch’s streets, New Zealand’s first maori restaurant tempts the palate of the hungry multitudes with a totally indigenous cuisine. Te Waka O Maui opened its door to the public on October 13 following a gathering of elders from throughout the South Island and an official blessing by Wattie Tahere, Christchurch’s maori methodist minister. The two principal owners, Estelle Ward-Übels and Roberta Arahanga, and their three staff, then thought they could relax a bit, waiting for the restaurant to slowly gain recognition. But no such luck. Sitting in the restaurant Roberta Arahanga described their expectations. “We thought it would start slowly but it just snow-balled. There’s ob-

viously an outlet for this kind of cuisine. Here in Christchurch we’ve got Mexican, Chinese and Hungarian restaurants. Well, maori pertains to New Zealand, so why not have a maori restaurant? It should have been done ages ago.” And so it would have, if Estelle Ward-Übels had had her way. Three and a half years ago she began thinking about a maori restaurant, thinking and planning. “It seemed so obvious,” said Estelle, clambering into a large chef’s apron. “It had to be done, it's New Zealand. People have such pre-conceived ideas about maori food. They think it’s all hangis, or it’s very greasy. In fact, it’s very healthy food. For years maori people have been called on free, for tourist performances and things. They should be given more value, they should be recognised for what they are. New Zealand is our adopted country. We should be part of it.” The daughter of Dutch parents, and now the secretary of the Christchurch Maori Women’s Welfare League, Estelle put in many long hours of working out costs and overheads to set up the restaurant. Without any outside financial help, it was a bitter battle but both she and Roberta acknowledge the endless support and days of work from their husbands, friends, family, and

members of the Te Kotahitanga cultural group. But with only five full-time staff, and two part-timers, Estelle is, she said, flat stick cooking, managing, doing the accounts, preparing the menu and the food, and “keeping everyone on their toes”. Roberta laughed in agreement the two women exude a relaxed warmth which permeates the restaurant but as hostess she never has the choice not to be on her toes. Her bare toes. “I don’t wear shoes, and that loosens people up. The food is exciting but people should feel comfortable. I don’t want them to feel in a poncy atmosphere. You have to be involved with the people,” Roberta said. To the customers, many of whom are tourists from overseas, Roberta explains the different dishes on the menu, and the many carvings, prints, wall hangings and motifs which adorn the room. Everything in the room has a meaning, Estelle, said, all pertaining to Maui and the sea. The decor of Te Waka O Maui certainly leaves other restaurants looking decidedly bland. Seagrass on the floor, rimu table and chairs, temuka pottery and hanging ferns set off the rafters with their traditional kowhaiwhai pattern, the patiki symbol of abundance,

the rare design of a kiwi embryo found in a cave drawing in Otago and used with the permission of the late Riki Ellison, Paramount Chief of the South Island, and the giveaway placemats bearing the story of Maui.

In the heart of a modern complex, these two women have built a whare kai.

With traditional kai, Estelle and Steve Kingi are responsible for the cooking, and one look at the menu, written in maori and english, would make anyone who accused maori food of being boring blush with embarrassment.

From Tuesday to Friday customers can choose from such dishes as paua kirimi (minched paua in a creamy sauce), titi, kumarahinu (kumara croquettes), paukena kirimi (creamy pumpkin casserole) and many other variations on seafood and vegetable based courses. Delicacies such as fish-head soup, pikopiko (fern shoots), kanga pirau (rotten corn) and, of course, maori bread, vouch for Roberta’s words that the food is exciting.

But on Saturday nights the restaurant takes on a party atmosphere with a hangi, a portable gas-heated hangi, drawing the customers out to the brick courtyard in front.

Although Steve has worked in a restaurant in Timaru, his skill in cooking maori food is a result of a Hire-a-Hangi service he ran in Australia, and his childhood....

“It all depends where you are brought up,” he explained. “City people don’t know how to cook this food, but I’m from the Bay of Islands. I was brought up on this kind of food, I knew how to cook all this as a child.”

Familiar to Steve, maybe, but the customers are not quite so confident. Roberta is not surprised when europeans ask the menu to be explained they are often willing to experiment and try everything on the menu, she said but it is a sad state of affairs when many New Zealanders request assistance.

With a variety of restaurant jobs behind her, Estelle does not consider the food difficult to cook, and finds Dutch cuisine, such as croquettes, easily adaptable to maori fare, but one service she refuses to offer is fast food.

“We don’t have an instant service. We are as quick as we can be but we cook as it is ordered so everything is fresh. That’s so important for seafood.”

But few would complain about having to wait. Whether enjoying lunch or dinner, chatting over a bottle of wine, or talking to Roberta, there is no rush to leave Te Waka O Maui. And local entertainment is encouraged. Archie Manahi is just one of the musicians who provides easy listening music with his guitar, and many other forms of entertainment will be found, as Roberta explained. “We’re trying to encourage local cul-

tural groups, not just professional people. Now that maori has become the national language it’s important to boost our own entertainers, or any Polynesian ethnic group. We want anyone a singer, poet, drama, mime, maybe even a maori Sam Hunt.’’ But so far, even without this vast repertoire of entertainers, the restaurant with its seating for up to 65, has sparked a lot of interest. Maori, pakeha, Swiss and Australian customers have complimented the chef in traditional style, and MP Mike Moore gave his whole-hearted support. A well-earned reward for two farthinking people who are not business women, who have never undertaken

such an awesome task as opening an entirely new restaurant. Stirring the custard in the kitchen (wood-panelled, all mod cons), Estelle echoed Roberta’s words in describing her ambitions. “We want it informal, but formal. We want a feeling of aroha.” With Archie strumming on the guitar, Steve reading out an order over the phone, Roberta quietly whistling as she checks tonight’s booking list, it is obvious that Te Waka O Maui has already attained these goals. If anything is lacking it is other restaurants like it in Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellington, Nelson....