Forest Lore of the Maori

Fungi, Etc

Fungi, Etc.

Under this heading are included a number of species that were eaten by the Maori in former times. In a few cases the specific name is fixed, but in most cases we know nought save the native name. My own experience in forwarding specimens to experts for identification from remote camps in the byways of the land was that the process of decomposition was much more rapid than the postal service. The following is a list of the names of species that have been collected, so far as I am aware:—

  • Awhato, Awheto—A fungoid growth on a species of caterpillar (Cordiceps Robertsii). ? Syn. horuhoru.

    Hirneola Polytricha, the fungus of commerce.

    • Hakeka
    • Hakekakeka
    • Hakeke
    • Hokeke
    • Keka
    • Kekakeka
    • Kekeke
    • Paheke
    • Taringa-hakeke
    • Taringa-kuri
    • Taringa-o-tiakiwai

    It is found growing on dead and partially decayed trees, stumps and logs of karaka, pukatea, tawa, mahoe and kaiwhiria, evidently it prefers these species. This species was eaten by the Maori, but only in times of scarcity; it was not liked, and some form of greens would be cooked and eaten with it in order to make it palatable.

    Ileodictyon Cibarium. A globular net-like fungus.

    • Kokirikiri-whetu
    • Korokoro-whetu
    • Mata-kupenga
    • Paru-whatitiri
    • Pukurau
    • Tiko-whatitiri
    • Tutae-kehua
    • Tutae-whatitiri
    • Tutae-whetu

Miscellaneous

Popoia-hakeke is given by White as another name for Hirneola polytricha, and quite probably this is correct. Colenso gave pukurau as Lycoperdon fontanessii, as also does White; the latter informs us that it grows 'as large as a child's head.' When not too old pukurau was cooked (steamed) and eaten. A sage of Matatua once told me that, if you find pukurau that is too young and small to be worth taking, you should at once take your stand to sunward of it, so that your shadow will fall upon the pukurau whereupon the latter will rapidly increase in size and so provide you with a meal. It is highly essential that wayfarers down the by-ways of the land should be acquainted with such simple acts of white magic. Of Ileodictyon cibarium only the outer part was eaten, and that only for a short while after it appeared above ground, later on it becomes uneatable.

The puapua a Autahi is, I was informed, a poisonous species, and it was necessary to subjeet it to prolonged cooking ere it was eaten. A person affected by the poisonous properties of this plant seemed to lose command of his limbs, and stagger about like a drunken person. The Matatua folk enveloped this fungus in many layers of rangiora leaves and then buried the package in hot ashes, wherein it was allowed to remain for a lengthened period. The tawaka was gathered in summer and steam-cooked, but one informant stated that it was sometimes prepared by the huahua or kohua process, termed stone-boiling by us. I have seen specimens of this species 12 inches in diameter growing on half-decayed tawa stumps. It may be here mentioned that, should a person who has eaten tawaka pass through a cultivation where gourd-plants are growing, then all the gourds will decay on the runners, if he goes a-fishing then all flsh will elude him. These, I was assured, are facts.

It has been observed that a plentiful growth of fungi betokens a tau hi roki or lean season, also that these poor foods were sought during times of scarcity in summer. It is over twenty years since I last saw harore (fungi) eaten; that was when the true believers of the New Messiah craze retired to dwell at Maungapohatu, where, owing to their numbers, the food-supply ran very short. Natives ranged the forest far and wide in search of edible fungi, leaves, and anything eise eatable, the poorest food and little of it meant semi-starvation, the weaker perished, and many children died. I cannot say how many species of fungi were eaten by the Maori, for some of the names given above are probably duplicates, and concerning many of them I have no notes. Dr. Thomson put the number eaten as twelve; I much doubt that being precise knowledge. The tupuku method of cooking was usually followed in dealing with fungi; that is, the food to be cooked was placed in a basket, which basket was placed in the oven, and there covered.

Puku tawai was used as punk by fire-generators, also as a fire-stick to be carried by travellers. The popoia-atua, kawai, wairuru, pohata, popoia-hakeke and pekepeke-kiore are said to be edible species. Some of the woody forms of fungus seen growing on tree trunks present a Singular appearance; Angas Struck a true note when he wrote: "Several of the large shelving fungi, growing from the trunks of the trees, near the roots, are so broad and strong as to form capital seats." These are apparently species of Polyporus.