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Story: Ngā tupu mai i Hawaiki – plants from Polynesia

Taputini kūmara

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Taputini kūmara

This taputini kūmara is one of four varieties that may date from before European arrival in New Zealand – the others are rekamaroa, hutihuti and houhere. The kūmara brought to New Zealand from Polynesia were smaller than the kūmara sold in shops today.

Using this item

The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand - Kuratini Tuwhera

by Graham Harris

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How to cite this page

Louise Furey, Ngā tupu mai i Hawaiki – plants from Polynesia – From Polynesia to New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/17492/taputini-kumara (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Louise Furey, published 1 March 2009.