Hāngī

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/hng

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the culinary method?Traditional Māori underground pit oven (umu) using heated stones and steam
2. What is the cultural origin?Indigenous Māori people of New Zealand (Aotearoa)
3. How do hot rocks cook food in a Hāngī?The rocks are heated until they glow, then placed in the pit where they radiate heat. Steam from leaves or ferns rises and cooks the food slowly inside the sealed earth.
4. Why do people put leaves or ferns between the rocks and the food?The leaves act as a cushion so the food doesn’t burn, and they also release moisture that turns into steam, keeping the food moist and tasty.

Aotearoa: The Māori name for New Zealand, meaning 'Land of the Long White Cloud'.
Whanaungatanga: A Māori concept emphasizing kinship, family connection, and a sense of belonging.
Manaakitanga: A core Māori value encompassing hospitality, generosity, kindness, and mutual respect.
Thermal Reservoir: An object or substance that can supply or absorb large amounts of heat without a significant change in its own temperature.