HE AITAKA A TÄNE PLANTS nä ROB TIPA
a little taste
Kiekie is best known for its deep green, glossy leaves for weaving, but this forest climber has another claim to fame – it produces fruit in spring and autumn regarded by many as the finest-tasting delicacy of our native bush. The widely dispersed pandanus family is well known as a source of weaving material throughout the Pacific. In Tonga a type of dress made from pandanus leaves is known as kiekie. Freycinetia banksii, commonly known as kiekie, is the only member of the pandanus family native to Aotearoa. It thrives in areas of moderate to high rainfall and is found throughout Te Ika ä Mäui, but prefers only the wetter areas of Te Waipounamu as far south as Kaiköura in the east and Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) in the west. In Mäori tradition, kiekie was highly valued for plaiting and weaving, second only in importance to harakeke. Its leaves were narrower at two to 2.5cm wide and shorter at 60 to 90cm long, but some historical references suggest it was more durable underwater than flax. Strips are split from the leaves, scraped and prepared like flax, then boiled, rinsed and dried in the sun to bleach them white. The fibre is pliable, easy to work and absorbs dyes well. It was often used for the finest whäriki (floor mat), kete, and is one of the materials used to create tukutuku. It was also used for rough rain capes, belts and hats. Manaaki Whenua (Landcare Research) has an excellent website covering traditional plants, including detailed information on the harvesting techniques, propagation, flowering, pests and diseases of kiekie. Traditionally, the leaves were harvested by grasping a bunch and wrenching them from the tuft, Manaaki Whenua researcher Sue Scheele writes. This does not harm the plant and encourages regrowth from the damaged stem. “Some weavers gather with a knife or tomahawk, taking all the leaves they can,” writes author Erihapeti Puketapu-Hetet in Mäori Weaving. “This is not necessary as the plant will release what material it is ready to give. A simple twist of the wrist while holding on to the leaves at the base will reward the weaver, not only with the leaves that are ready, but also with the knowledge and satisfaction that the material has been gathered in the correct way.” Kiekie grows easily from seed or cuttings in the right conditions, but should be grown in forest humus rather than soil for best results. It transplants easily if seedlings are taken when young and they are not exposed to direct sunlight straight away. When mature, the plant is very hardy in full sun or shade. Kiekie is common in the undergrowth of lowland forest, its aerial roots locking into bark 42
te Karaka RAUMATI 2008
and rock crevices for grip as it climbs over rocks, standing or fallen trees and up into the canopy. Its elastic roots were collected and used extensively for lashings and sail making on canoes, binding together poraka (crayfish pots) and hïnaki (eel pots), and providing cordage for all sorts of industrial bindings. For a plant with so many functional uses, its exquisite tropical flowers and fruit win kiekie
most praise. The taste sensation sent early settlers grasping for superlatives, with comparisons to pineapple, ripe pears with an aroma resembling vanilla to soft, waxy bananas and preserved strawberries. Obviously, the taste depended on the experience of the palate, but all agreed the fruit of the kiekie was the highest-prized culinary delicacy the bush had to offer.