Four hundred handwoven flax baskets, 800 servings of hāngī, and not a single foil tray in sight.
That’s the goal for this year’s Matariki celebration at the Victory Community Centre, where volunteers are weaving hundreds of traditional rourou (food baskets) to cook and serve kai while keeping Mātauranga Kai Māori alive.
The centre is aiming to produce 400 rourou, also known as kono, made from harakeke, for the event on 1 July. The baskets will be used to cook and serve the entire hāngī, feeding about 800 people.
Last year the centre trialled using rourou for some of the hāngī portions, and this year they’re going all in.
“This year we’re taking our hāngī back to its roots – literally,” says community coordinator Steve McLuckie, who is excited to revive traditional knowledge and practices around preparing and sharing kai.
The initiative is also expected to eliminate landfill waste from the hāngī altogether, with the rourou able to be composted after use.
To help meet their target, the centre has already held three community weaving workshops over the past week and is also encouraging experienced weavers to contribute.
People who already know how to weave are welcome to make rourou at home and drop them off to the centre on Totara St by 25 June.
The hāngī is one of the highlights of the centre's annual Matariki celebration, which this year carries the theme ‘Matariki Herenga Waka – For Everyone’.
“We are encouraging everyone to come together and enjoy this event, and to reflect upon the different themes around the preparation and celebration,” Steve says.
The event kicks off at 2.45pm with soup for tamariki and whānau, followed by a Victory Primary School performance at 3.30pm.
Community performances start at 4.30pm. The hāngī will be served at 5.20pm alongside fire poi, African drumming and light art projections. A lantern hīkoi along the Railway Reserve follows at 6.20pm.
Hāngī tickets will first be offered to those who contribute weaving, followed by Victory Primary School whānau, before any remaining tickets are released to the wider community.
A small rourou serving two people will cost $15, while a large rourou serving four people will cost $25. A vegetarian option will be available.
For more information visit victorycommunity.org.nz/matariki or email steve@victorycommunity.org.nz
