Village life

Although the pa is supplied with electricity there are no modern cooking facilities. All the food had to be cooked in large pots hanging over an open fire in a ramshackle cookhouse, and carried 25 yards to the pa.

In spite of these somewhat primitive conditions, a phenomenal quantity of good hot food was served and ravenously consumed.

After the evening meal everyone would gather close around the open fire where we were joined by the Maori boys with their guitars, or a local folksinging trio, and so would continue singing late into the night.

Throughout the week we received many visitors. Maori and pakeha alike, bringing gifts of food, provisions, and equipment, eagerly volunteering advice and information and generally showing a great deal of enthusiasm in the project.