Māori cuisine

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/mori-cuisine

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 cultivated staple crops?Kūmara (sweet potato), taro, uwhi (yam), reflecting early Polynesian agricultural practices
2. What is the cultural role of food?Integral to identity, spirituality, community cohesion (whanaungatanga), and hospitality (manaakitanga)
3. What is a hāngī and how is it made?A hāngī is an underground earth oven. It is made by digging a pit, heating stones with a fire, placing food on the hot stones, covering it with soil, and letting it cook slowly.
4. What foods are usually cooked in a hāngī?Common hāngī foods include meats like pork and chicken, root vegetables such as kūmara (sweet potato) and potatoes, often wrapped in leaves or placed in woven baskets.

Aotearoa: The Māori name for New Zealand, signifying its deep cultural and historical roots and connection to the land.
Hāngī: A traditional Māori cooking technique involving an underground oven heated by stones, producing tender, smoky food.
Kūmara: A vital staple crop in traditional Māori cuisine, a type of sweet potato introduced by early Polynesian settlers.
Manaakitanga: A core Māori value encompassing hospitality, generosity, and mutual respect, often expressed through the sharing of food.