The names of our meeting rooms

Kāretu

Kāretu (Hierochloe redolens) is a beautifully scented native grass used for weaving, which we have growing in the Manaaki Whenua pā harakeke flax collection.

Sometimes known as holy grass, kāretu is a large plant whose scented leaves, with the midrib removed, were traditionally used for plaiting into belts and headbands. Sitting and sleeping areas were strewn with the leaves. The flowering tops of kāretu and roniu (Brachyscome radicata) were wrapped in fibrous leaves and worn as a scented necklace. Various prepared scented oils also included kāretu. Moriori men would use kāretu as a love potion, placing a piece of leaf in a sleeping woman’s hair, or in a place where she would later sit or sleep.

To align our meeting room names with the cultural narrative of our building, we consulted with the Allan Herbarium staff, who suggested this endangered species found on Kaitorete Spit.

Kererū

Kererū, or New Zealand wood pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae), is also known by some iwi as kūkū or kūkupa. With its puffed white chest and majestic green-and-purple sheen, it is no wonder many Māori regard the kererū as manu rangatira – a chiefly bird.

Ngāi Tūhoe see the kererū as an ecological and cultural engineer. These birds play a critical role in maintaining the forest’s biodiversity, being the only remaining species that can swallow large native fruits and disperse the seeds over a wide area. In Te Urewera, and in many other places, kererū are seen as a key indicator of forest health with their numbers assessed by an observer experiencing the size of a flock at close range.

Traditionally these birds were a highly valued source of food and feathers, and they are taonga to many hapū and iwi in Aotearoa New Zealand.

‘He kūkū ki te kainga te haere’ is said of a is respectful and compliant at home like a kererū, but when away can be very mischievous or like a kākā.

This information was shared by Manaaki Whenua Kairangahau – Ecology, Puke Timoti.

Kuaka

The kuaka/bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) is fully protected in Aotearoa New Zealand. Their brown and grey plumage echoes the intertidal mudflats where they forage, and for much of their time here they are relatively nondescript birds. But there is nothing ordinary about the migrations of bar-tailed godwits: they perform the longest non-stop flights of any non-seabird.

Kuaka hold cultural significance for Māori, as they were birds of mystery: ‘Kua kite te kōhanga kuaka?’ Who has seen the nest of the kuaka? They were believed to accompany the spirits of the departed and were also a source of food.

Our meeting room names are aligned with the cultural narrative of our building, shared with us on behalf of Te Taumutu Rūnanga by Puamiria Parata-Goodall. Image: Matthew Dodder.

Kupea

Kupea electilis, or Kupe’s grass moth, is ranked by the Department of Conservation as Nationally Endangered. Three of the six known populations, including the largest, are found on Ngāi Tahu-owned land on Kaitorete Spit.

Kupe’s grass moths spend most of the year underground as larvae, feeding on native twitch (Zoysia minima), a ground-hugging coastal plant. These rare moths only emerge between mid-March and mid-May, when they mate, lay eggs, and then die.

Our meeting room names are aligned with the cultural narrative of our building, shared with us on behalf of Te Taumutu Rūnanga by Puamiria Parata-Goodall. For information on kupea we consulted with Robert Hoare at our Auckland site.

Ngahere

Ngahere is the te reo Māori word for bush or forest. We are Aotearoa New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute for our land environment, which means much of our research takes place in ngahere, focused on protecting the environment for our future.

Pīngao

Pīngao (Ficinia spiralis), the golden sand sedge, was once common on sand dunes throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Weavers love to use pīngao for patterning highlights. The orange-gold leaves provide a vibrant contrast to the black-dyed or natural pale hues of harakeke (flax) and kiekie.

A familiar sight is pīngao combined with kākaho (toetoe stems), kiekie, and harakeke in tukutuku panels (decorative latticework) on the walls of wharenui (meeting houses). The leaves are also used to make various plaited items, such as kete (baskets), whāriki (mats), and pare (headbands).

To align our meeting room names with the cultural narrative of our building, we consulted with the Allan Herbarium staff, who suggested this endangered species found on Kaitorete Spit.