Kawhia Kai Festival

Lonely Planet puts Kāwhia Kai Festival on the world map.

The Lonely Planet Travel Guide has placed the Kāwhia Kai Festival into the top ten Māori experiences for visitors to visit raising expectations of more international visitors for the next event on Saturday 7 February 2009.

The latest Lonely Planet has placed the traditional Māori food festival held in the Kawhia settlement as number three in its must see Maori tanga section.

Started four years ago to coincide with Waitangi Day celebrations, the Kāwhia Kai Festival attracted more than 10,000 visitors this year, including a noticeable number of international visitors.

Plans are well underway for another ‘taste extravaganza’ festival line-up in 2009, which is being held from 9.00am until 5.00pm on Saturday, 7 February 2009, on the picturesque foreshore in the Kāwhia village.

From more than 40 stalls, visitors can sample a wide range of traditional kai including Toroi (marinated mussels and pūhā), Kānga Wai/Pirau (fermented corn), Pūhā and pork spring rolls, Pāwhara (smoked fish and eel) as well as the local Waikato delicacy Kōkī (shark liver pate).

And no kai festival would be complete without hāngi served in kono (traditional serving basket).

As a big reunion event for Tainui iwi, the day also has stalls demonstrating rāranga (traditional flax weaving), whakairo rākau (traditional wood carving), and tā-moko (traditional tattooing). And of course, there will also be plenty of entertainment on the main stage.

Event listed by Brucegatwardcook

View their other events or contact promoter