Story: Kauri gum and gum digging

Scraping gum

Scraping gum

When diggers returned to their huts, there was still work to be done – the tedious but necessary task of scraping the oxidised crust off the gum. Unscraped kauri gum sold for much less than scraped gum. In the evenings by candlelight, and on Sundays, diggers would use a knife to scrape off the rind.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Northwood Collection (PA-Group-00027)
Reference: 1/1-006278; G
Photograph by Arthur James Northwood

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Carl Walrond, 'Kauri gum and gum digging - Gum digging methods', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/12963/scraping-gum (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Carl Walrond, published 24 Sep 2007