These men are fishing with a pouraka (hoop net). The net was used to catch kōura (crayfish), īnanga (whitebait) or other small fish. The best time to catch crayfish with a pouraka was Māwharu.
Fishing personality Bill Hohepa points out that the names for the phases of the moon vary among the different maramataka. However, certain phases of the moon are commonly seen as good or bad for fishing.
Transcript
We know that the lunar month is 28 and a half days. Some of these Māori lunar calendars went for 35 days so you really couldn't reconcile them to our calendar month. But, what I did find when I put them all together that they had a basic theme running through them. Okay, some might refer to sharks up in the far north and the best time for catching them and down south they might refer to the best time for frostfish and other fish and so on but there was a basic theme running through them that at certain times of the lunar month, a couple of days before the full moon and various other periods between the phases of the moon, were very good times or very bad times for fishing.
Using this item
Reference: 44119
Image: Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/2-038200;F
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.