Māori who settled New Zealand in the 13th century from the Pacific carried some foods with them. A particularly important crop in their cargo was the kūmara (sweet potato). Pictured here are three pre-European varieties, ‘Rekamaroa’, ‘Hutihiti’ and ‘Taputini’. The kūmara commonly seen in New Zealand today is derived not from these ancient cultivars, but from varieties introduced by Europeans during the 19th century.
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The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand - Kuratini Tuwhera
by Graham Harris
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