Story: Māori foods – kai Māori

Drying eels, 1936

Drying eels, 1936

In the low-lying swamplands around Ōtaki, eels provided a major food source. This photograph shows preparations for the opening of the Raukawa meeting house in March 1936. Mrs Henry stands in front of eel-drying racks (pātaka-tuna) laden with gutted and dried eels.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Adkin Collection
Reference: PA1-f-005-386
Photograph by George Leslie Adkin

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:

Charles Royal and Jenny Kaka-Scott, 'Māori foods – kai Māori - Traditional cooking and preserving', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/40252/drying-eels-1936 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Charles Royal and Jenny Kaka-Scott, published 5 Sep 2013