Story: Maramataka – the lunar calendar

‘Digging with the ko’

Rākau-nui, the night of the full moon, was considered a good time to plant kūmara (sweet potato). In this 1907 painting by Gottfried Lindauer, men are digging using kō.

Using this item

Auckland Art Gallery – Toi o Tāmaki

by Gottfried Lindauer

Permission of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Paul Meredith, Maramataka – the lunar calendar – Nights of the month, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/5393/digging-with-the-ko (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Paul Meredith, published 2 March 2009.