Bush Business

The Kidney Fern

Like the kawakawa and puriri trees, the tiny, low-growing kidney fern was often worn by Maori in mourning. In fact you'll still often see woman wearing wreaths of greenery on their heads during tangi (funerals). In a much broader sense, ferns have always been important to Maori - their leaves provided early bedding, and the roots of the Aruhe or bracken fern was commonly eaten after they had been pounded and cooked. And of course the koru - the unfurling fern frond - has always been a recurring design element in Maori carving and more recently in Maori art and design.

An Important Plant

Waitangi, Northland. April 2009 Ajr

Kawakawa, Macropiper excelsum or more commonly, the pepper tree, is not to be confused with Horopito, Pseudowintera colorata, which is also commonly known as the pepper tree. Horopito has peppery-tasting leaves but Kawakawa is the one that belongs to the true pepper family - the Piperaceae. Kawa in Maori means bitter, hence the tree’s name in reference to its bitter-tasting leaves. I took this photograph of Kawakawa on a walk through the Waitangi Treaty Grounds on a guided tour with leading guide, Wil Napier, who explained that traditionally, Kawakawa was often used by Maori in an infused tea to flush out the kidneys; or as a treatment for colds and coughs. In fact it had a number of uses in rongoa (traditional medicine). The leaves could be chewed to soothe toothache, stomach problems and indigestion; and the yellow summer berries could be eaten as a diuretic. Tossed on a fire its leaves would create an insect repellent; and leaves were placed over boils, bruises and cuts to accelerate healing. The leaves are also strongly associated with Maori tangi (funerals) and were traditionally used as part of the embalming process. The adornment of greenery is a traditional (and still common) way of expressing mourning for Maori and at a tangi you’ll usually see kuia (older women) wearing kawakawa taua (wreaths) on their heads. The tree’s multiple uses now also include inclusion in a number of commercially available tonics, skincare products and healing balms. Two More Facts: The Kawakawa is closely related to the Polynesian kava plant; and its heart-shaped leaves are frequently filled with holes made by the looper caterpillar (Cleora scriptaria).

Forest Vines

Supplejack on Ulva Island. Feb 2009. Ajr

Meet the impressively-named Rhipogonum scandens, commonly known as supplejack, a New Zealand native vine found in dense bush throughout the country. It is also known to Maori as pirita or kareao and they used its flexible stems to make, among other things, hinaki (eel traps), fish traps, nets and bird cages and taruke (crayfish pots). They also made the vine into a tea, which was used as a tonic for a range of common ailments.

A Treasured Plant

Flax - Phormium tenax. Feb 2009. Ajr

This is harakeke or flax. It is a member of the lily family and has been used by Maori for generations as a vital fibre resource. Long ago Maori often had a pa harakeke, or flax plantation, close to their marae. The roots were used in the concoction of treatments for skin complaints and the older outside leaves were cut and used for weaving. Different species were favoured by different iwi for their strength, softness, colour and fibre content and once the muka (fibre) had been separated from the green flesh with a shell and pounded to make it soft and pliable, it was woven into ropes for bird snares, fishing lines, nets, sandals and clothing. The full leaves, either fresh or dried, were used to make kete (baskets) and other woven items - and still are of course.