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Story: Maramataka – the lunar calendar

Potato harvest

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Potato harvest

Taewa (potatoes) were planted by researchers at Massey University according to the Māori calendar. These varieties of potato were introduced by early European explorers and enthusiastically adopted by Māori. Certain varieties became so closely associated with particular tribes that the vegetables became known as Māori potatoes.

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by Nick Roskruge

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How to cite this page

Paul Meredith, Maramataka – the lunar calendar – Planting and fishing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/5397/potato-harvest (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paul Meredith, published 2 March 2009.