E Kai Māori Wānanga

Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa, in partnership with E Kai Māori Ltd, invited marae ringawera and whānau to take part in a three-day wānanga focused on Māori food knowledge and practice. Held at Taihoa Marae from 1–3 May 2026, this gathering offered a practical, hands-on opportunity to learn, share, and reconnect through kai.

Led by Chef Joe (Hamuera Orupe) McLeod, participants explored a range of skills grounded in te ao Māori. Sessions included foraging in the local ngahere, learning about rongoā and indigenous ingredients, weaving kono for serving kai, and preparing and presenting food using Māori methods. The wānanga centres on knowledge that draws from whakapapa and whenua, with an emphasis on working with what is locally available.

This is the final wānanga in the national E Kai Māori series, which has travelled across Aotearoa. With decades of international culinary experience, Chef Joe now works alongside marae throughout the motu, supporting communities to gather and prepare nourishing kai from their own environments.